


Getting Blitzed

by Nolebucgrl



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-14
Updated: 2016-02-07
Packaged: 2018-02-17 09:15:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 61
Words: 289,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2304512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nolebucgrl/pseuds/Nolebucgrl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The continuing adventures of Cockyback and Reed Girl. College is over and real life awaits. How will they handle the ups and downs thrown their way as Edward enters the NFL and Bella approaches graduation? Rated R for Rainbow.  Sequel to Sideline Collision.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**A/N We're baaaaack! And by we, I mean myself, Cockyback, Reed Girl, Rainbow and the like! Yes, in honor of the NFL starting today (minus the Packer slaughter by the Seahawks the other night, thanks so much for showing up and ruining week 1 of my fantasy stats Rodgers and Lacy) I'm posting the first chapter of the Sideline sequel! Sorry for the rant, had to happen. I should not be in a hole already after one game. After this first set going as I post, sure, but not after 1 game. Note to all, bench your offensive players when they go against Seattle. Just sayin.**

**Football rants aside, I plan on doing my absolute best to post every Sunday morning. Had a delay today because I had some errands to run and thought it'd be cool to post at kickoff. More than likely it'll be earlier next week. Also, the Fic Sisters are hosting this story on their site today at ficsisters dot com with my thoughts on what's ahead and a preview from next chapter, if you'd like to take a look. Thanks to them and sorry again for the late notice on posting! I appreciate you guys making a special post just for me. You're awesome!**

**Happy reading, happy NFL Sunday and thanks for waiting for this. I had a lot going on, and for those that don't know, my second book, The Hot Corner, is out and available and I appreciate all the love you guys have given it! Thanks all of you for sticking with me!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 1

"Cullen! What kind of throw was that? You threw cross body! Everybody knows that's dangerous. Use your head!"

Was he fucking kidding me? Number one, I completed the pass. Number two, I was born knowing more about throwing than his ancient ass had learned over the seventy plus years he'd been alive. Number three, I was Edward Fucking Cullen, and I could throw any damn pass that I wanted.

Of course, I couldn't say any of that shit. The biggest difference between NFL training camp and college was that the coaches damn well didn't give a crap what I had to say. It was their way or the highway. Well, not really, because they sure as hell weren't going to dump their first-round draft pick, but still. Rookies were to be seen and not heard, or so I was told. That didn't stop me from cursing Coach under my breath as I returned back to the huddle.

"Nice throw," Sammy Maddux, target of said stupid pass, told me with a grin.

"Thanks. How about you tell him that shit? It's not like I didn't know where the safety was."

"No way, man. I don't want to run wind sprints after we get done."

Fucker. I couldn't blame him, though. That shit sucked. Training camp itself pretty much sucked. We were expected in the building at seven a.m., and since I was the team leader, I was expected in earlier than that. Thanks a lot, fucking Tom Brady and Peyton Manning for your ridiculous work ethic. Emulating their stupid asses made for long-ass days for me. I spent three times as much time lifting and studying the playbook and old game tape than I had in college. By the time I got home at night, I had the energy of a fucking sloth. I wasn't sure where all the glitz and glamour of being a pro quarterback was but it was about fucking time I got to experience some.

Coach called the play, and I positioned myself behind my patchwork offensive line. Three weeks into camp, and we still weren't sure who was going to be protecting me. That didn't instill a lot of fucking confidence, let me tell you. I called for the ball and dropped back, scanning the field in front of me. I was supposed to throw a deep bomb to Sammy if it was open, but he was being blanketed by our star corner, Deon Dixon. I checked down to Paul Hatcher, who was running a short crossing pattern, and released the ball just as JPP slammed into me.

"Cullen! What the fuck was that? Harrison was open on the left hash."

_Well, excuse the fuck out of me for not noticing as I was being slammed to the ground by one of the best defensive ends in the league._

"I felt the pressure coming and checked down to Hatcher." Which was the right fucking call, thank you very much.

"You had Harrison for a gain of at least twenty yards, and you threw a check for a gain of eight? What were you thinking?"

A gain of eight is pretty damn good on first down, that's what I was thinking. Fuck this noise. I was tired of pretending that Coach was always right.

"I was thinking that I needed to get the ball out of my hands before JPP drove me into the ground. I was thinking that throwing to Harrison would have required throwing across my body, which, correct me if I'm wrong, you just told me not to do?"

Well, fuck. Coach was already turning purple. I'd seen him do that shit in games on TV, but this was my first time seeing it in person. Behind his back, Sammy was laughing and giving me an across-the-throat gesture, calling me a dead man. Asshole.

"Do we have a problem, Cullen? If you can't throw the plays that I call, I can go and find someone who can."

Right. Because there were so many of me wandering around teamless this time of year. He'd mortgaged his entire draft on me. We both knew I wasn't in danger of being benched or cut or anything else. Still, I couldn't say that shit to his face. Man, I missed Coach Fisher. Never would have thought I'd think that, either.

"No problem, Coach. I took the check because it was there. If you want me to throw to Harrison next time, I will." _And then you'll bitch at me for throwing cross body again, but what the fuck ever. There's obviously no pleasing you._

Coach watched me through narrowed eyes. "That's it for the day, folks. See you bright and early tomorrow morning."

I started to walk toward the lockers.

"Not you, Cullen."

Fuck. This is why you don't talk back to the coach. I knew it, but he'd pushed me to my limit. I watched sadly as the rest of the team jogged off.

Paul stopped next to me. "Hey, man, a bunch of us are headed out to Onyx later if you want to meet us there."

I snorted. "I doubt I'll be up to it." I had a bad feeling that my aching body was about to be aching a hell of a lot more.

He chuckled. "True, but if you are…"

"Yeah, man, thanks. I'll try." Likely by now he knew I wouldn't be coming. I'd yet to bother hitting any of the clubs my teammates frequented. I needed to get home to her. She'd listen to be me bitch about my day and make shit better so that I could roll out of bed and do it all again tomorrow.

I watched as he jogged off, tensing my shoulders when I felt Coach come up behind me. _Here we go._ I turned to face the firing squad. His face was back to its normal color at least. That purple shit was kind of scary. I didn't want him to have a heart attack and die because he didn't like the play I called.

"You don't think much of me, do you, Cullen?"

Well, that wasn't what I was expecting to come out of his mouth. "That's not true. You've won two Super Bowls, and you're one of the longest-tenured coaches in the league. Of course I think highly of you."

"But you don't think I know what the hell I'm talking about when I yell at you for throwing a check instead of hitting the open receiver for the big gain."

Hmm, this was dangerous ground. "I thought the safer throw-"

"Don't bullshit me, Cullen. You didn't see that Harrison was open. We both know damn well that if you had, you'd have thrown it to him, whether you had to go cross body again or not, even though you weren't in danger of that anyway."

Okay, so he had a point. A minor one, but a point all the same. "You're right. I didn't see him because JPP was coming on like a freight train, so I took the safe route, which is what I thought I was supposed to do."

"It is, in a game. In practice? I want to see everything you can do. Follow my orders now so I know I can trust you on Sundays. Do you think I didn't talk to your old coach before I used my entire draft on you? I know you've got a good football mind, and he claims you have unparalleled instincts on the field. He also told me you have a tendency to go rogue and call your own plays based on what you see at the line."

That was...true. "Look, Coach, I know I'm just a rookie, but I've been playing for a long time, and I know pretty much every scheme out there. Of course I trust my eyes and my instincts, and they rarely lead me wrong."

He nodded. "I don't doubt you, kid. I've been watching you for the past couple of years, and there's a reason that I traded up to get you. And someday, when you've earned it, you can change my plays and fly by the seat of your pants out there. But you haven't earned it yet. Right now, you're just another rookie, and I'm not going to let you ignore my directions. Show me that you can run the plays I call, and I'll give you a bit more autonomy as we go. Got it?"

Well, it hadn't gone nearly as badly as I'd thought it would. "I can do that." Even if I didn't completely agree with it. I'd earn his respect, and he'd see that he didn't need to question me or my ability. I couldn't help it if that shit annoyed the hell out of me. I wasn't used to it.

"Good. Now give me some full gassers before you hit the showers." He didn't hide his grin at my glare when he said the word gassers either.

Fucking hell. I lined up on the left hash and ran across the field. It wasn't long before my calves and lungs were burning, but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of slowing down or showing any sign of distress. I ran the requisite four times back and forth while he stood there with his arms crossed, wearing a shit-eating grin.

I had to bend over and try to catch my breath when I was done.

"Nice job, Cullen. Next time you talk back to me in front of your teammates, you'll be doing stadium sprints."

I peered up at him through the sweat that was pouring down my face. It was hot as fuck, and I pretty much wanted to die.

"For what it's worth? That throw to Sammy was a thing of beauty."

He chuckled when I gave him the finger. I wasn't quite able to talk yet.

"Why don't you take a shower and go have fun with your teammates? You've earned it."

I shook my head and finally pulled myself upright. "I can't. I'm engaged." There, I could breathe again. Sort of. I sounded like a ninety-year-old man on life support, but I could talk.

He laughed again. "I heard. Still, nobody said you had to hook up. Just go bond with your teammates. It'd be good for you."

Maybe, but I wasn't about to risk her wrath when I got home. I had enough shit to deal with without one of her hissy fits. "Maybe on a day when I haven't had to run gassers."

He smirked. "We'll see if you manage to have one of those. Get out of here, kid."

He didn't have to tell me twice. I forced myself to jog to the locker room, hoping he couldn't see the fact that my legs were shaky as fuck. Even if I wasn't engaged, the last fucking thing I'd want to do would be to head to a club. I wanted to soak in a hot tub and maybe, just maybe I'd have the energy for a blow job if it was in the offing, but that was about it. Football was turning me into an old man before my time. This fucking sucked.

I drove to the luxury condo building Reed Girl and I had picked out shortly after I'd been drafted. We'd debated on living in New York or New Jersey, but since I played in Jersey and we could get a hell of a lot more for our money, it just made more sense to pick the latter. We had a penthouse that overlooked the water and gave us a view of New York City that was pretty fucking awesome. Plus we had all these windows and hardwood floors and a concierge. Reed Girl loved the spa amenities, and I loved the gym and the rooftop terrace. It was the perfect place for a young, rich couple with their entire futures ahead of them. We'd both fallen for it at first sight.

I groaned as I stepped out of my car and felt every muscle screaming at me. The spa tub and I were about to get acquainted for a good hour or so. Part of me wanted to call for a masseuse, but Reed Girl probably wouldn't be thrilled. It was okay if it was the team trainer, Bob, but Hilda the Swedish spa girl? Not so much.

I wasn't sure I'd ever felt happier to come home as I was when I stepped off the elevator and unlocked my door. Before the tub, before I ate, what I really needed was her. She understood me like nobody else, and I knew she'd listen to me bitch about my day and be completely on my side. She loved me wholly and would agree that nobody, not even Coach, should question me when it came to plays on that field.

It didn't take long. The second I closed the door, I could hear her feet as she moved across the wooden floor. I flipped on the light and tossed my keys on the side table that Reed Girl had insisted we buy because the marble matched the marble in the bathroom. I didn't give a shit. As long as the couch was comfortable and the bed was soft and had plenty of room for maneuvering, I was good.

She rounded the corner, and we stared at each other for a few seconds before she launched herself at me. I scooped her up and buried my face into her soft fur. "Rainbow." She bopped her face against mine several times, like she had since she was a kitten. I still called it head-butting, even though Reed Girl had informed me that that was how she gave kisses. Calling them kisses made me feel like more of a pansy than I needed to be, so head-butts it was.

I carried her into the living room and sank down on the couch. She adjusted, lying across my chest, tucking her head into my shoulder, and purring away as I stroked her soft, gray fur. She could still fit on my shoulder, albeit not quite as well as she had when she was kitten, so she'd discovered that this was the best way to cuddle into me. I'd learned to let her have her way, as it was easier than the alternative. Besides, while Reed Girl was still down in Tallahassee finishing her degree, Rainbow was all I had.

I poured out the shitty day, telling her all about practice and Coach questioning my skills and the gassers and everything else. She gave me more head-butts and even put her paw on my face a time or two. I knew that meant she agreed with me. When I was finally done, I reached for some treats, and she got off me, meowing happily and rubbing against my ankles as I gave her a handful.

"Thanks for listening." Yeah, I fucking talked to my cat. And yeah, I was a grown man living alone with a cat until December when Reed Girl got her degree and finally moved up here where she belonged. It wasn't that far away, but each day felt like years when we'd been together pretty much non-stop for almost two years. I missed seeing her every day, having her take up three quarters of the bed, and I sure as hell missed having regular sex daily. Yes, my body was beaten to shit, but I would probably still do Reed Girl if she was here. I needed her.

I got my cell out of my pocket, wincing as my muscles contracted with the movement. Fuck, I needed that soak. But I needed my girls more. I speed dialed her and lay back as Rainbow climbed on my lap. When her voice came over the line, I felt myself relax for the first time all day.

"Reed Girl."

"Hi, Champ. I miss you."

"I miss you too, baby."

She knew me. "Bad day?"

"The worst."

"Tell me about it."

So, I petted Rainbow and talked to my girl. Call me pussy-whipped, in two ways, but being with my girls was better than any night club. I was where I belonged, and soon Reed Girl would be with me and all would be right with the world. I was Edward Fucking Cullen, and I was going to make the NFL mine.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Happy Football Day! Some of you had some questions I thought I would address for all, since some came in as guests and I couldn't answer! Yes, this story will be all EPOV just like Sideline was, except for a chapter or two of a certain cat's POV when warranted. Yes, that's been requested as well and I have a couple situations where it's apt so it shall be done!

Also, see the categories? Romance/humor. There will never be any cheating in any of my stories. Don't read it, don't write it, no worries there. Yeah, Reed Girl is away but Edward won't be playing anything other than football. And whatever games Rainbow demands he plays with her at home. So don't fear that, not from me!

Your faves will appear in this story, but they won't be as featured as they were on Sideline just because of geography. Jasper is the new Noles QB (God help us all), Alice, Bella, and Rose are still in school and Emmett is a trainer down in Tallahassee. Edward will be playing the Jags this season, so I imagine we'll see the whole gang then, not to mention phone calls and visits. So, no worries there! I just can't get Jaspy high til football season is over. It's a hard, sad thing for me, too!

I think those were the big ones, if you have anything else you wanna know, feel free to ask. More below.

Getting Blitzed Chapter 2

This shit sucked. Normally I didn't mind getting dressed up in a suit and eating fancy food while listening to boring speeches. I'd had plenty of that shit over the years, thanks to my grandparents, parents, and of course football. But the past couple of years, I'd had Reed Girl at my side to make the boring speeches a lot fucking better by letting me feel her up under the table or vice versa. I needed her here and soon. This alone shit fucking sucked.

The Giants were having a banquet so we could celebrate the upcoming season and get to know some of the execs that kept the business end of the team running. Yep, it was as fucking boring as it sounded. I could imagine about seven billion things I'd rather be doing than fiddling with my tie while the VP of financing gave us a crash course on the salary cap. What the fuck did that even matter? I got a good chunk of the change, for a rookie anyway. When my contract was negotiated in another four years, I'd be a lot more interested in cap space. For now, I didn't give a shit.

"Do you think he picks up girls by telling them where they'd rank on the rookie pay scale?" Sammy muttered, making me laugh. At least everyone else was as fucking bored as I was.

"I'd love to see him try. Do you think it would take him more than five seconds to get slapped?" I asked.

"Ten tops," Colin Davis, one of my lineman, supplied.

"Please, all that mofo has to do is pull up in his Rolls, wearing that expensive-ass suit, and chicks would fall in line." Brady Turner, another lineman, shook his head bitterly.

I raised an eyebrow at him, and Sammy laughed. "Bro got turned down hard at the club last night. He's a bit bitter."

"I didn't get shot down. She had a boyfriend." He glared at all of us, daring one of us to contradict him.

"If her boyfriend is Paul, sure, 'cause I saw her leaving with him last night." Colin was just as big as Brady was, and he wasn't afraid to piss him off.

"Whatever. She wasn't worth it anyway. Where were you, Cullen? Afraid you can't hang with us? Can't you pull in any prime pussy?"

I smirked at that. Was he fucking kidding? Look at me. I had the most prime of all. And Reed Girl would kill me if I ever had the balls to verbalize that. "I've got all I could ever want, man."

"That's right; you've already got a girl, huh? How could you do that to yourself? Do you know how many girls would give their right tit to fuck the quarterback of the New York Giants?" Sammy shook his head sadly. "I thought you had such potential, man."

I ignored the laughter around me and took a sip of my beer. "My girl puts any chick you could ever hope to pick up to shame, Maddux. Believe it or not, I don't miss the single life one bit." I missed the hell out of Reed Girl, but I didn't feel the need to go to a club and deal with skanky, sweaty girls that wanted me for my money. And my looks, of course. That went without saying, though.

The scoffs and disbelieving snorts of my teammates didn't bother me at all.

"Come on. You can't tell me you wouldn't hit that hot marketing chick who spoke a little bit ago? I'd like to give her some charity." Brady got a high-five from Colin for that genius remark.

I rolled my eyes. "Dream on, Turner."

"I do dream, Cullen. I have all sorts of hot dreams."

I snickered. "I don't want to hear about them." And I didn't. Waking up with a hard-on every morning that went unfulfilled because the only pussy in my bed was Rainbow sucked ass. December really couldn't get here soon enough.

"Nobody wants to hear about your wet dreams, Brady. Perhaps if you get yourself a girlfriend, you won't have to change your sheets every morning."

The look on his face was priceless. Score one for Cullen.

"Dude, don't even joke about that. I shared a room with that guy during camp," Colin said with a laugh. "I don't wanna know what was going on in that bed."

"I had no idea the budget could be so amusing." They all froze at the husky female voice that came from behind me. Pussies.

"Well, you know, tax shields and profit margins are a riot," I said, turning my head to see that the head of marketing that they were all salivating over was the one who'd spoken. She was blonde, blue-eyed and stacked, wearing a black suit that managed to flatter her, rather than make her look like a man like some did.

She sent me a million-dollar smile and put a hand on my shoulder. "Indeed. Every time I meet with the accountants, I have a stomach ache from laughing so hard." She squeezed me before letting go. "I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Heidi Lowell, Public Relations."

I took her offered hand, shaking it and releasing it quickly. It didn't escape my notice that while she offered smiles to the rest of the guys at my table, she didn't offer her hand. "Edward Cullen." But you already knew that, of course.

"Yes, I've been anxious to meet with you. May I join you?"

Before I could decline and make my excuses so I could get the hell out of here, Sammy let her have his seat and moved across the table. I shot him a glare, but he mouthed "she's hot" and abandoned me to her.

I fucking hated marketing, PR people. They wanted to discuss my image, which needed no improvement, obviously. Or they wanted me to pimp some crap to the unsuspecting public. I already had signed contracts with Nike, Rolex, and Mercedes, and Subway was pressing hard to get me to do some commercials for them. I was making more from endorsements than I was my NFL salary at this point.

"What did you want to talk to us about?" I asked, including the boys with me. If I was going to have pimp shit, then so were they.

She grinned. "As you know, I'm in charge of public relations for the Giants. It's my job to get you out in the community, promoting charities and showing that this organization cares about its community."

Crap. It wasn't that I minded charity work, per se, but I hated doing it with cameras rolling. That shit felt fake and forced to me.

"We do care about the community, very much," Brady assured Heidi with a winning smile.

I smirked at his desperate ass. PR chick was not going to hook up with him, I'd bet my salary on that.

"That's what I like to hear, Mr. Turner!"

Ha, she called him Mister. No way was he scoring.

"Now, every year, we like to try to do different fundraisers for the Children's Hospital. We've done auctions and meet-and-greets, football camps, things like that in the past."

That didn't sound so bad. Back in Tally, we'd run some youth camps, and those kids were pretty fucking cool.

"It would have to be after the season, right? I'd be happy to help with football camp." I'd learned a lot at the Manning Academy over the years. I could definitely set my own up here.

"That would be lovely, Edward. We'll get together to talk over the details on that. You're right, though, it would have to be after the season was over. In the meantime, I'm thinking of a three-pronged approach to helping during the season."

She shifted, and her leg rubbed against mine. Was that on purpose? I tensed and inched away from her.

"I'd like to arrange some visits to the hospital, particularly to the cancer ward."

Shit. Sick kids. I hated seeing sick kids. I'd done that a few times, and it always made me feel like shit for being strong and healthy. But I knew that it made them happy, and that was really what it was all about. I nodded my head mutely, as did the other guys at the table.

"Next, I was hoping to do a calendar. I'm sure you've heard how popular the New York City firefighters calendar is every year? We'd like to do our own, with proceeds going to the hospital."

Hold on a fucking minute. "Just what kind of photos are we talking here?" I wasn't a fool. Those firefighter calendars were generally shirtless guys wearing overalls and big smiles.

She laughed as she put her hand on my forearm. "Nothing untoward, I promise!"

"Damn, I like untoward," Brady told her, laying it on thick.

Like anyone was going to fork out ten bucks to see his naked ass? I didn't fucking think so.

She shook her head, and I shrugged her hand off my arm. I was getting a distinct vibe from this chick, and I didn't like it. She wasn't one I could just be a dick to and blow off, since we both technically worked for the same company.

"I was thinking pictures of you guys working out, practice pictures, maybe a shirtless shot or two." Fucking hell, the way her eyes raked over me when she said those words made it clear just who she wanted to be shirtless and grinning on the cover.

"I don't know if that would be appropriate for a children's charity," I told her through clenched teeth. I was not a piece of meat, damn it. And Reed Girl would fucking hate it if I posed shirtless for a calendar. I had no issues with my body, but I wasn't posing with some cheesy smile. That's not who I was.

"You'll find that very few charities truly care where the money comes from, as long as it comes. And we're not doing anything distasteful, trust me."

"I'm sure you can find twelve guys ready and willing to pose for you," I said, making it clear that I wasn't volunteering.

"I'm in!" Sammy told her, getting a bright smile in return.

The others gave their assent as well, while I sat silently waiting for prong three in her stupid plan. I didn't think I was going to like it any more than I liked prong two.

"Last year, we auctioned off signed memorabilia-pictures, helmets, game-worn jerseys, and the like. It brings in a lot of money."

That I could do. I'd sign shit until my arm fell off. No problem.

"Sounds good," I said, hoping she'd move along and pitch her ideas to some other tables.

"This year, I'd like to do that as well as a bachelor's auction. The Cardinals were part of something like that a couple years ago and it was very successful."

The eyes of my teammates got comically wide at that suggestion. Those horny assholes were already picturing hundreds of hot women bidding to date them. They could have it.

Sammy mouthed the words "so fucking hot," and Brady wiped some drool from his face. Colin just sat up straight and smiled awkwardly. What was wrong with those fuckers? Were they that anxious to have lonely old women buy them for the night?

"I'm sure that would be a big moneymaker for you."

"As our new starting quarterback, Edward, I'd like you to be the last one we auction off. I'm sure there'd be a lot of ladies that would be willing to give money to charity to spend an evening with you." And yeah, her leg brushed against mine again. Fuck this noise.

I started to push back my chair, when the sweetest voice I'd ever heard spoke up. "I'm afraid that he's not a bachelor and his fiancée wouldn't be too keen on the idea of women bidding on him. But we'll be sure to make a generous donation to the charity of choice."

Thank fuck. Everybody at the table disappeared as I turned my head and my eyes met the most beautiful brown ones I'd ever seen. I almost knocked PR lady on the floor as I stood and reached for her, almost afraid that she was an illusion. She had to be, because she was supposed to be in Tallahassee studying for an econ test. But no, she was in front of me, and she was poured into a midnight-blue silk dress that accented her beautiful curves and was cut low to reveal the tops of the two most fantastic breasts that God had ever created.

"Reed Girl?" I asked softly, afraid that I had conjured her up in my desperation to be away from this conversation.

"Hey, Champ." Her smile was bright, and her scent hit my nose assuring me she was here. She was really here, and instead of staring at her, I needed to be touching her right away. I pulled her into my arms, and my lips met hers, and finally, the world felt right again. I slid my hands down her sexy back and clamped on to her ass as I devoured her soft lips.

I couldn't say how long we kissed before the throat clearing and laughter behind me penetrated my skull. I pulled back but didn't turn away from my girl. "What the fuck do you want?" I asked, making her laugh.

"Um, I was just afraid that you might start undressing in the middle of the room and while most of us would probably appreciate the show, Coach might get pissed and make you do gassers again."

Sammy had a point. I sighed and turned, wrapping my arm around Reed Girl and turning to face my teammates. PR lady looked as if she'd sucked on a lemon, which was fucking hilarious. Trust my girl to have perfect timing to tell that bitch that nobody was getting her hands on her man, especially not her.

"Bella, this is Sammy Maddux, Colin Davis, and Brady Turner. Guys, this is my fiancée, Bella Swan." I toyed with not introducing PR chick but figured it would be rude not to. But I wasn't going to do it right. "And this is the head of public relations, Heather."

"It's Heidi," she corrected with a tight smile. "It's very nice to meet you."

Reed Girl held out a hand, forcing Heidi to shake. "And you as well. Sorry to interrupt your meeting. I'd love to hear more about your charitable plans. Edward and I are always happy to get involved with the community."

"Yes, well, as I told the boys, we do hospital visits and auction off signed memorabilia."

"That sounds wonderful. Edward's father is a doctor, and we've gone to the hospital numerous times to visit children. It's one of the most rewarding things we've ever done, isn't it, Edward?"

I loved how my girl made it clear that she and I are a unit. I needed her along when I visited hospital anyway; she kept me from saying stupid shit. "Yeah, I told her I had no problem with that one." I smirked internally before I added, "I don't know how I feel about the calendar, though."

Reed Girl chuckled softly. "Well, you do take the best pictures, honey. I always like when you're all sweaty after practice and you dump water over your head. That would make a fun, sexy picture."

And I wouldn't be shirtless. Not that I had an issue with my body, thank you very much. But marketing bitch wasn't going to get to see it.

"That's a pretty good idea, baby. What do you say, Hilda?"

"Heidi," she corrected again, looking more and more irritated.

Ha, it had been a long time since I'd fucked with anybody by changing their name. This was fun as hell.

"And it's a possibility. I haven't put anything together officially yet."

"Well, you be sure to let us know when you do," Reed Girl told her sweetly. "You know, I'm actually pretty close to finishing my marketing degree, and I'd love to brainstorm some ideas with you sometime."

"That would be lovely, I'm sure." Heidi got to her feet. "I must make the rounds. Thanks for volunteering, gentleman. I'll be in touch soon." Her eyes lingered on me for a moment before she headed toward another table. Good riddance.

"I just can't leave you alone for a minute, can I?" Reed Girl asked, laughing as I sat and pulled her onto my lap. Yeah, there was a free chair now that the PR lady was gone, but I wanted her as close as possible. I was ready to pick her up and carry her out of the room right at that moment, actually.

"You know I didn't do anything to encourage her," I started, stopping when Reed Girl put a finger to my lips.

"I know you weren't. I trust you. But I'll be damned if anybody is auctioning you off to the highest bidder, unless that bidder is me."

"You win all the bids, baby." I kissed her again, only coming up for air when my teammates starting hooting. "Fuck you all."

"Well, it's easy to see why he never comes out to the clubs with us. Hello, Miss Bella. I'm Sammy. I know we already met, but I figured my boy here might have scrambled your brains a bit with that kiss."

Reed Girl chuckled and grinned at him. "It's nice to meet you. Edward's told me all about you guys."

"Don't believe a word he's said. I've been searching high and low for Ms. Right, and it turns out he's had you stashed away down in Florida. Bastard." Sammy laughed when I flipped him the bird.

"Stop hitting on my girl. She's not interested."

"Well, I don't know…Did you win a Heisman by any chance?" Reed Girl dissolved into giggles when I tickled her. "Never mind. Even if you did, Edward won two. He wins, unless Archie Griffin comes a callin."

"Funny, baby. Really funny. What are you doing here, anyway?" Not that I minded. She was a dream come true.

"You sounded like this was the last thing you wanted to do alone, so I got a ticket and popped up for a few days." She smiled shyly. "I also got a tryout with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. It's a long shot but…" Her words were lost when my lips met hers. I was fucking thrilled for her.

"Baby, that's so great! You're going to blow them away!" Her dream was that she'd be hired by one of the symphonies in the area when she moved up here in December. She wasn't sure what else she really wanted to do with her life, and music was her passion and talent. She deserved this.

She touched my cheek. "I hope so. I want it, badly. I got the call yesterday, and it solidified my plan to come up and surprise you, so I threw all my stuff in a bag, and here I am."

"I'm so glad you made it," I told her, not caring if I sounded like a pussy in front of my teammates. My girl was with me where she belonged, and that was all that mattered.

"Me too."

"I'm clearly not working you hard enough if you have the strength to hold your girl like that, Cullen."

I laughed at Coach. "Coach, this is my fiancée, Bella. Bella, this is Coach Coughlin."

She stood and shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you. Edward's told me lots about you."

"None of it fit to repeat, I'm sure." He grinned as he shook her hand. "He's told me all about you as well."

"Hopefully repeatable," she said, ruffling my hair.

He laughed. "Yes. His college coach told me that you made him an even better player. I have to thank you for that."

Reed Girl blushed. "I'm incredibly flattered, but I didn't do anything, really. He's beyond talented."

"You know that's not true. Well, the talented part is," I allowed, making them all laugh. "But you do make me better, baby."

"How do you rein in that ego?" Coach asked Reed Girl, making her cute-ass giggles fill the air.

"Believe it or not, he was a lot worse before we got together. I'm not sure how his head fit in the door."

"My head fits perfectly in…" She cut me off with a hand over my mouth. I licked her palm as everyone laughed.

"On that note, I'm taking my leave. Enjoy your day off tomorrow, and plan on being back at it bright and early on Monday. It was wonderful meeting you, Miss Swan."

"You, too," Reed Girl murmured.

I stood before she could sit back down again after Coach left. I'd had enough of this fucking place. My girl was here, she was sexy as sin, and I hadn't touched her in weeks. It was time to remedy that. I was burning for her.

"Ready to head home, baby?"

She smiled and licked her lips. "Yeah. It was nice…" I didn't let her finish as I tugged her across the room. "Meeting you!" she called, waving at my goggling teammates. "Subtle, Edward."

"If I don't get you home and fuck you right now, I'll take you in the middle of the room, love. It's up to you."

She could hear the desperation in my voice, I was sure. "Take me home and fuck me in all our rooms," she whispered, nibbling my ear.

Fuck yes.

A/N See, Reed Girl is never gonna be away from her man for long! Also, did you catch the First & Ten shout out I worked in? There won't actually be a bachelor auction, been there, wrote that, but I wanted to call back to First for a little fun :)

I debated saying anything about it, but unless you had your head in the sand, you know it's been an awful week in the NFL. I'm not going to defend or justify anything that's been said and done, but I am going to say that there are a lot more good people than bad, in the NFL and in society. If you want a story that will touch your heart in the right way, look into the story of the Cincinnati Bengals and their defensive end Stills, I think his first name is Greg. His daughter has cancer and he was put on the Bengals practice squad specifically so he would have health insurance for her. And now he's been activated to the 53 man roster and proceeds from the sale of his jersey are going to his family and pediatric cancer research. It doesn't justify the rest of the news this week, but maybe it'll bring you a smile like it did me. I'll end by saying abuse is never okay, and I hope and pray that it never touches you or yours. And if it does, I hope you get the help and support you deserve and need. Be good to each other!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Happy Football Day! I'm especially happy since my team managed to win despite having a boneheaded QB suspended for the entire game. We were really in need of an Edward last night! But we pulled through and I won't even speak of my NFL team's Bad News Bears impression on Thursday night. Worst football I've ever seen. Alice could have played better. Anywho, that's me not speaking of it. haha**

**Reunited and it's about to feel sooooo good :) Also, I meant to say last week that it's truly awesome to see so many familiar faces reading and reviewing. I love that you guys have stuck with me all these years. I do mean it when I say that my books wouldn't exist without you and I've had the best time since I became involved in this fandom. Never did I think I'd be able to write one whole story, let alone how many I have written. So thanks for the support, love, and encouragement always!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 3

"I think the elevators have cameras," Reed Girl whispered against my lips.

Okay, maybe I had pinned her to the wall as soon as the elevator doors closed, but I couldn't be blamed. The whole ride home from the banquet had been verbal foreplay as well as brushing teases of her hand over my aching cock. I'd been seconds away from begging for road head when a cop pulled up next to us at a light. That had effectively ended that idea, but my dick hadn't deflated any. It had been a very long month since I'd been with her last.

"So? We can't be the first couple who fucked against an elevator wall." I made my case as I reached under the hem of her dress.

She laughed and batted my hands away just as the elevator dinged our arrival at the top floor. "Just thirty seconds more and I'm all yours." I put my keys in her hands and scooped her up, running toward our front door as she laughed her head off. "I don't think you're supposed to carry me over the threshold yet," she reminded me as she slipped the key in the lock.

"Now, later, who cares? We'd still be down the hall if I let you walk, and I'm in a hurry." I pushed open the door, and our lips met again as I carried her into our place. God, I'd missed her. I mean, I knew it every minute of the day, but now that I had her in my arms again, I realized that nothing was right without her. I could practice, play, hang out with teammates and whatever, but being with her was better than anything else.

"Mmm, the first time fast, the rest of them slow," she murmured silkily as my lips found her neck.

I swear my dick was ready to break through my pants at those words. All night. I had her all night long, and we weren't getting any sleep if I had anything to say about it. We had to make up for lost time.

"I can't wait to be inside you." I stumbled into the wall as I kicked off my shoes, and Reed Girl giggled at my rare display of awkwardness. I didn't give a shit, though. I'd fall all over this place to get at her.

"Well hurry up and take me…" Reed Girl broke off at the loud, angry meow that sounded at my feet. "Rainbow!" And before I could stop her, she wiggled her way out of my arms and crouched down to greet the fur ball that I swear was glaring at us both.

"Don't you get pissy with me. You knew I had a dinner tonight. I gave you shit before I left."

Reed Girl chuckled as she got some head-butts from Rainbow, who apparently wasn't mad at her for whatever reason.

"I gave her some when I stopped in to get ready as well, didn't I, pretty girl? Have you been taking good care of Daddy?" she crooned.

I automatically cringed at her words. Yes, I was cool with taking Rainbow while Reed Girl finished school and all, but I wasn't a daddy of any kind. I hated that shit, and Reed Girl knew it, which is of course why she did it. I was just…her caretaker, that's all. If Rainbow had to stay in Tallahassee without me, she'd bring ruin to the whole town. Everybody knew that.

Rainbow, of course, purred, strutted, and preened as she got the love from my girl. The love I was supposed to be getting right now. We should already be naked and I should be buried inside Reed Girl as she screamed my name.

"Bellaaaaa," I started, making her smirk up at me. Fuck, she was beautiful. No wonder my teammates had been struck dumb at the sight of her. She made PR chick look like the old lunch lady in high school who had one of those gross hairy warts on her face. Nobody compared.

She stood and started tugging at my tie. "I'm all yours, Champ. All weekend long except for my tryout." She bit her lip a little at that thought, and I pulled her to me.

"You have nothing to worry about. You're an incredible musician, and you're going to blow them away." I brushed her hair away from her stunning face. Maybe it was the time I spent away from her, but she was even more amazing now than she'd been when I met her. "You blow me away every day. I love you."

Her gorgeous brown eyes widened before she launched herself at me again. I laughed against her lips as I started to steer her toward the bedroom.

"Edward." She tore her lips away from mine and pressed a kiss to my jaw. "I love you. You make me feel like I can do anything I put my mind to."

"You can. We can, baby. The world is ours."

I laid her on the bed, but before I could lower myself on top of her, Rainbow hopped up and started rubbing against my hand. Oh, fuck no. Rainbow was my girl and all, but she was going to have to get the hell out. What I had planned was for people eyes only.

"Out, Rainbow." Of course, she just fucking stared at me. Reed Girl giggled as I picked Rainbow up and held her face to mine. "I've been good to you, haven't I? I've taken care of you and fed you and held you and all that shit. You have to give me this. Don't be a cockblocker, Rainbow."

"I love how you still talk to her."

I rolled my eyes at her amusement and carried Rainbow out of the room. "You have to give me this, Rainbow. I swear to fuck; I'll share my pillow with you every night if you just let me and Reed Girl have this weekend. I'll buy you more of those annoying-ass fishing poles you keep breaking, and I'll get you another tower for that stupid fucking cat condo we just had to get you."

I carried her into the guest bedroom and put her on said stupid condo. It was ridiculous. Rainbow had her own fucking room with this castle thing that she loved to sit on and look out the window for hours on end.

"Just stay." I gave her a fuckton of her treats, and she started to chow as I ran back toward the bedroom. I shut the door and locked it.

"There, I think that…" I turned and was greeted by the sight of a naked Reed Girl lying on the bed, grinning at me.

"I don't think she can get in." She patted the bed beside her, but I was more or less frozen to the spot. I was mesmerized by the picture she made, propped up on her side, one long tanned leg bent up in the air at the knee, her other flat on the bed, so she was wide open and ready for me.

"You never know. Rainbow's smart. She could figure out how to jimmy the lock. I wouldn't put it past her." But that pussy was the last thing on my mind because my girl reached down and started stroking hers as I spoke. I was struck dumb at that beautiful sight.

"Are you just going to stand there all night, or are you going to come take what you've been wanting for the past month?"

Her words spurred me into action, and I stalked toward her, unbuttoning my pants as I walked. She pushed herself up onto her knees and went to work on my shirt. I was hard as a rock and I wanted to touch her, but I had to get out of my pants and it was taking me too long. I yanked them down along with my boxers and fell on top of her.

We were both laughing as we tried to get my clothes off without separating. Our bodies were pressed together, and I didn't want to release her long enough to tug my pants the rest of the way off. My shirt was open but still on, and Reed Girl bit my neck, sending my eyes crossing as I cursed and tried to free myself.

"Just get inside me," she demanded, and I was more than ready to comply. I thrust my way home, and we both moaned when I filled her. "Yes," she hissed, wrapping her legs around me.

My thrusting was erratic as hell, but neither of us minded because she felt perfect. Reed Girl was home. Being inside her was my happiest place of all. It was warm and tight, and there was just nothing better.

She got breathy and started panting as I sped up. There was no way I could last too long this first time. Thankfully, as always, Reed Girl was right there with me. She moaned my name, tightening around me as we came at the same time.

"Thank fuck," I murmured as I rolled us so that she was sprawled over me. She shifted so I slipped out of her, and immediately I missed being inside her.

"I missed you. I missed us. I missed that." Her hand brushed over my dick, and I swear it started to stir to life again. That's what happens when I've been sexually deprived for a month.

"Me too, baby. More than words can say."

She chuckled before kissing me softly. I stroked my hand down her back as she snuggled into me. I'd missed this just as much, but I felt like a pussy saying it. She knew, though.

"I'm not the only one who misses you, you know."

I groaned at the grin that moved over her face. "Don't give me shit. I've talked to him on the phone a couple times."

"Not nearly enough to satisfy Jasper. He says he needs to pick your brain for the Oklahoma State game."

Seriously? "I never played against Oklahoma State."

"I know, but he's nervous and he needs his best friend to calm him down."

"Fucking hell. Isn't that Shorty's job?"

Reed Girl giggled. "No, her job is to get him worked up. His weed is what calmed him down."

"Shorty never shoulda gotten him off the shit." Of course, his ass would have failed a drug test rather quickly if she hadn't. I got tested way more than I should have since I was the starting quarterback.

Reed Girl was staring at me, her beautiful brown eyes pleading. Fuck. We both knew I couldn't say no to her.

"Fine, I'll call him next week and give him some shit to work on."

"Thanks, baby."

"Oh, you'll be thanking me shortly." I tickled Reed Girl and enjoyed the way her shrieks shook us both.

"It's me you'll be thanking, mister." She sat up and straddled me. My hands immediately went to her breasts, because they were awesome and they were there and I hadn't gotten to play with them in a long-ass time.

Reed Girl grinned down at me as she started to grind her hot, wet pussy against my dick. Oh yeah, I was just about ready for round two.

"I can't believe I'm here with you. It feels like it's been longer than a month."

I sat up and kissed her sexy mouth. "I know. Every day feels like a year without you." I brushed my fingers over her soft cheek. "Is my brother taking care of you? I told him to check in and…"

She cut me off with a kiss. "Yes, baby. He and Rose call daily and come by a couple times a week. Alice and Jasper come on the days they don't. I'd say that I barely have time alone to miss you, but that's not true. I miss you even when they're there. Maybe more."

"That shouldn't make sense, but it totally does. When I went to dinner at Eli's a couple weeks back, and his wife and kids were there, and I missed the fuck out of you."

"It was nice of them to have you over."

I nodded. "Eli's cool. He's giving me the lowdown on the offense and shit. Sucks that his shoulder is fucked up, but he's helping me out some."

"That's what teammates should do. Like you looking out for Jasper, even though you're gone."

Like I didn't know what she was doing. "I said I'd call him."

"I know and I'm glad. We all miss you. Emmett loves coaching, but I think he liked it better when you were there to boss around."

I stroked my hands down her side and watched her shiver at my touch. "I didn't. You're the only one that I want bossing me around."

A plaintive cry came from the other side of the door, and Reed Girl laughed. "It would seem that Ms. Rainbow disagrees."

Fuck that noise. I reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the remote for the stereo, flipping it on and drowning out Rainbow's cries. "No cockblocking!" I yelled.

Reed Girl laughed. "What are you going to do one day when we have kids?"

"Lock them out and tell them no cockblocking as well."

"You would."

"Damn right I would, baby." I lifted her up and lined my dick up, with her perfect pussy, and slid inside. "Nothing and no one is keeping me from this."

She leaned back and started riding me. I watched in fascination as my dick appeared and disappeared with each thrust she took. So fucking hot. Her boobs were bouncing and her mouth was half open as she rode herself closer to another orgasm.

I reached between us and played with her clit, making her moan and move faster. There was nothing on this earth better than having my girl ride me. I seriously wanted to film that shit so I could watch it when I was without her for weeks on end, but I'd made that suggestion once before and wasn't about to get cut off when I only had her for forty-eight hours. I'd suggest it half an hour before she left or something.

"You feel so good," Reed Girl told me. She shifted her hips and moaned as I hit home. I held her hips and thrust up to meet her, hitting her there again as she came apart. A few more thrusts, and I was right there with her.

"Mmmm." She collapsed on my chest, and I tightened my arms around her. This, right here, was where I wanted to be, always. I stroked her back as she nuzzled my chest with her lips. "I can't wait until December."

"Me either, baby. After this, we're never apart again."

"Sounds good to me." She yawned, and it occurred to me that she'd had a pretty long day, with school, the flight, the party, and of course two awesome rounds of sex.

"You need some sleep, baby?"

She sighed, propping herself up so she could look into my eyes. "I don't want to, but the tryout is at ten and-"

I silenced her with a kiss. "Say no more, baby. We'll get some sleep, and then after your tryout..."

"It'll be all naked time," she finished with a grin. She rolled off me and headed toward the bathroom. "Can you let Rainbow in? I miss sleeping with both of you."

It was probably for the best. If I shut Rainbow out of the bedroom all weekend, she'd find a way to get revenge on me. Poop on the pillow, pee on my workout clothes, who knew? It wouldn't be pretty though. I pulled on my boxers and went to the door. Rainbow glared at me, making sure to smack me with her tail as she walked past.

"Don't give me crap. You'd understand if you weren't fixed." Rainbow in heat. Now that was a scary-ass thought. The stuff of nightmares. Best not to think about it.

I joined Reed Girl in the bathroom and got ready for bed. She smiled when she saw Rainbow stationed in her spot right between our two pillows. "She hasn't forgotten how we sleep."

"Of course not, baby. Rainbow's smart as shit, and she misses you just like I do."

Reed Girl laughed as she slid into bed. "Not quite the way you do."

That was true. "Good point." Rainbow head-butted me, and I knew I was forgiven for shutting her out. She shifted so that her head was in my neck. Reed Girl got as close as she could and wrapped her arm around me. Everything was just as it should be now. Reed Girl was right. December couldn't come soon enough.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Happy Football Day to you all! Cockyback and I were sweating it yesterday, but the Noles pulled through in the end. I miss last year's domination, though. It is really like the team has been handed over to Jaspy. Speaking of...hehe. You'll see!**

**I'm off to debate sitting or starting Brandon Marshall for the third week in a row. The first week I sat him and he got 3 TD's. Last week I played him and he got nothing and hurt his ankle even more. Le sigh. The trails of fantasy football!**

**Have a great week and I'll see you next week with more :) Good luck to your teams, real and fantasy! And especially good luck to mine, hehe they need it!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 4

Waking up with a hard-on had been the bane of my existence since moving to New Jersey, but not this morning. This morning, I felt warm hands caressing me before wet lips wrapped around me and had me moaning her name.

"Reed Girl."

Before I could get too carried away, it occurred to me that Rainbow might be watching, so I opened my eyes and saw that Rainbow's spot was empty.

Reed Girl made a noise against my cock before releasing me. "I gave her breakfast and shut the door."

Was it any wonder that Reed Girl was the girl for me? She woke me in the most fantastic way and made sure our crazy cat was gone before she did so. I reached down and tugged on her arm, and she climbed her way up my body, her lips meeting mine. Yes, perfection.

"I love waking up to you," I told her, because it was true.

She laughed and reached down to stroke me again. "Of course you do."

Well, yeah, there was that, too. "Yeah, that, but also, it's better when you're here." Shit, I sounded like a pussy. Living with a cat all by myself was turning me into a chick. I fucking knew that would happen.

Reed Girl smiled and gave me a sweet, soft kiss. "I know. I keep telling myself it's only four months, which is nothing in the grand scheme of things, but it feels like forever. And while I miss this-" she pumped me one more time with her awesome, capable hands "-I really just miss you."

"Same goes, baby. The guys give me shit about going out with them and stuff, and I mean, I know I could since you're not here anyway, but it's like I'd miss you more if I went out. I'd rather come home and talk to you since I can't see you." And even though we hadn't lived here long, it still felt like her in here. She had some clothes and shampoo and shit here already, so I could smell her if I wanted to. Crap, I really was a pussy. Fuck.

"You know that I don't mind if you go out with your teammates, right?" Her eyes were wide, and she touched my cheek. "You know I don't expect you not to have a life until I get here."

"I know. I just don't have any interest in the club scene. They're all about getting laid." I grunted when she shifted and rubbed herself against me.

"And you're not?"

"Only if I'm with you, baby."

She lifted her hips and took me inside her. Her eyes were on mine as she slowly started to move. I reached up to cup her breasts, tweaking her nipples lightly. She loved that and started to move faster.

"I'm all yours, you know," she told me, which I knew, but I still loved to hear it.

"Damn right you are."

I rolled us so that she was under me, her gorgeous face illuminated in the early morning light. Her sexy legs wrapped around me as I started to pound myself into her. It never took me long to get off in the morning, and when she tightened around me, when she called my name in that sexy, throaty morning voice of hers, I lost it and came hard inside her.

"Best wake-up ever," I murmured, kissing her as we both tried to catch our breath. "What time is it anyway?"

Reed Girl rolled over and looked at her phone. "Not quite seven."

I groaned and buried my face in her neck. "Why are we up so early?" I actually had the weekend off, which was a minor miracle. Monday we'd be back to work in earnest because our pre-season games were about to start. I couldn't wait. Finally a real chance to show what I could do.

"I was nervous."

I opened my eyes and pushed myself up on an elbow, leaning over her. She looked incredible, her hair spread over the pillow, cheeks flushed, eyes shining, lips swollen. "You don't look nervous."

"I'm not anymore. Thanks." She slapped my ass and burst out laughing when I started tickling her.

"I see how it is. You used me to get your mind off your tryouts." She could use me for sex anytime, and we both knew it.

"And it was very effective," she told me once she'd stopped giggling.

"I feel so used."

She kissed me hard before pushing me away and hopping up. I watched her naked body as she strode toward the bathroom, her tight ass jiggling a little as she walked.

"If you want to get used again, get your sexy butt in the shower."

She didn't have to tell me twice. I beat her to the shower by several seconds, mainly because she was laughing at my horny ass again.

After a very hot, long shower that used up all the hot water, I pulled on some boxers while Reed Girl got ready for her audition.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" I asked as I went to open the door. Sure enough, Rainbow was standing there looking at me as if I'd stabbed her best friend. Not that she had any friends, because she hated all other cats and really only liked me and whatever humans I liked, but still.

"Look, you've had me to yourself for a fucking month. Stop your bitching." I swear she fucking turned up her nose at me as she sashayed by and hopped on the bed. "Fine, see if I give a shit." But the fucked-up thing was that I sort of did. Not that I regretted my morning sexing with Reed Girl, but I didn't want Rainbow to be mad at me. I walked over to the bed and held out a hand, and she head-butted me. Of course Rainbow couldn't stay pissed at me. Females never could. "You'll have me to yourself again soon enough." Damn, that was depressing.

I got back into bed, and Rainbow climbed onto my chest. I petted her and listened to Reed Girl rustling around in the bathroom. This was how it would be once she was here full time. I couldn't fucking wait.

"Have you seen-" Reed Girl broke off as she came out of the bathroom. "Aww, too cute." And then she was snapping pictures again. She was always taking pictures of me and Rainbow. I was pretty sure she was saving that shit for blackmail purposes if I ever lost my mind and left her or some shit.

"Have I seen what?"

"Nothing. They must be in my purse." And she was off, heading out of the bedroom wearing a black skirt that looked awesome on her ass.

I propped myself and Rainbow up against the headboard.

Reed Girl came back in, frowning.

"What's wrong? You forget something?"

"We need to pick up some condoms."

What the fuck? We hadn't used those since we were first together. "Why?"

"Somehow, I left my pills in Tallahassee."

Well crap. "But I hate condoms."

She raised an eyebrow at me. "You used to have them in every pocket, your wallet, every drawer, your glove compartment…"

"Yeah, yeah, that was when I was young and stupid and hadn't met you yet." I hadn't bought a condom since the first time we had shower sex. Fuck, that was hot.

"Well, I changed purses and mixed up my compacts." I didn't know what the fuck that meant. I really didn't want to know. All I knew was that I either needed to wrap it, or I wasn't getting laid. And that was not a fucking option, thank you very much.

"Fine, I'll pick some up."

She came over to kiss what was no doubt a put-upon pout on my face. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Reed Girl went back to primping, and I flipped on SportsCenter. And lo and behold, there I was on the "rookies to watch" list. Damn right, they better watch me.

My girl came out looking hot as shit after she'd done herself all up. I could see that the nerves were coming back, so I moved Rainbow and walked over to her.

"You're going to kick ass, baby. You're going to blow them away, and they're going to offer you a job on the spot. Then you can just forget about graduating and move here now."

She laughed at that, as I intended. "I can see that going over well with my dad."

"Charlie wouldn't care, since you'd be with me."

She shook her head. "I think even his love for you wouldn't be enough for him to get over me dropping out with just one semester to go."

"I'd bribe him with Super Bowl tickets." She laughed as I pulled her against me. "Seriously, you're going to be great. Then you'll come home and we'll celebrate."

"Would said celebration be a naked one?"

"Of course. We'll have champagne and pizza."

She chuckled. "That sounds perfect."

"So, go knock them dead, and I'll take care of everything." I walked her to the door, handed her the instrument case. "Call me before you head back." I had shit to take care of before she returned.

"Okay." She kissed me, hard, and I squeezed her ass.

"You're gonna rock. As much as one can on the oboe." She elbowed me and I grinned at her. "Love you."

"I love you, too."

And she was off to show the New Jersey Orchestra just how awesome she was. I had no doubt she was gonna get the job. My girl was beyond talented.

I was going to give her a night to remember before she went back to Tallahassee. But first I had a call to make.

I threw myself down on the couch, and Rainbow was quick to follow me, climbing into my lap as I scrolled through my contacts. It didn't even take an entire ring before he answered.

"Edward!"

"Hey, Jasper."

"I can't believe it's really you!" Who else would it fucking be? He'd clearly whined to my fiancée that I never called; he had to know she'd get on me until I did it. Hmm, Bella on me…no, we cannot have liftoff when Rainbow is on my lap. Fuck that noise.

"Of course it's me, dumbass. Reed Girl said you were freaking out over the Oklahoma State game." Oklahoma State-like they were fit to be on the same field as us. I'd have crushed them by at least fifty if I was still playing.

"I am! We lost James, Garrett and Marcus, and you're not here, and…"

Fucking hell. "Calm the fuck down. Gibbs is there to carry you. When in doubt, get the ball to him. I've turned that kid into a superstar in the last year. Green is ready as well. And you still have Crowley on screens. Just keep calm and don't do anything stupid. Take what they give you. Start off with short passes, and let our guys break them with long runs after the catch. They will."

"Okay. I'll try." His voice was barely a whisper. He sounded fucking pathetic.

"Send me the game film, and I'll go over it with you later in the week, okay?"

"Thank you! I know I'm freaking out, but we're the reigning champions, and everybody expects me to be as good as you are, and we both know I'm not. So much pressure."

Well, of course he wasn't as good as me. I was a once-in-a-lifetime player. "Nobody expects you to be me, Jasper. I'd tell you to smoke your weed, but we both know you can't."

He heaved a big sigh. "It would be so much better if I could. I miss it."

"Well, calm down another way. Go bang Shorty." It always worked wonders for me with Reed Girl, not that I got nervous over football.

"That doesn't calm me down. Wife's like a live wire! She gives me all sorts of energy. Plus, she's pissed at me."

"What did you do now?" Shit, why was I asking? I didn't care, did I?

"My football freak-outs caused me to forget our monthly anniversary. I've been sending her flowers and balloons all week to make up for it, but she's still pissed. So I brought out the big guns, and I'm sending her a poem."

Fucking hell, not another one of his poems. "I don't even want to know."

"Roses are red. My heart is black. My insides are dead if I can't have you back."

"That's fucking morbid. And she didn't dump you, did she? So it's inaccurate as well."

"But it rhymes."

"That doesn't make it good."

"She'll like it. I used glitter."

The fucked-up thing was, she probably would. "I think you should give it another go. Maybe just say you're sorry and buy her something nice. Shorty likes shiny shit."

"I'm doing that, too. And I'm surprising her with a candlelight dinner after her chemistry class on Monday. It's her hardest one, and she'll love the pampering."

Even though Jasper was a moron, I had to admit he usually got shit right when it came to romancing his woman, despite his crappy poem.

"So, listen, Reed Girl has this tryout for an orchestra, and she was all worked up about it when she left. I want to do something nice for her when she gets back. I said I'd get champagne, and maybe I could order in dinner. That sounds good, right?"

"Well, what about…hey! I have your brother on the phone. He needs help wooing Bella."

Jesus fucking Christ. "Jasper, I didn't say I needed help and…"

"Yo, bro! Twenty-one years old, and you still don't know how to treat a woman? I can't believe we're related." Fucking speakerphone. Now I was stuck talking to both of them.

"Emmett, I think I've proven that I know how to treat Bella right. I'm not the one who ran away from the first girl I fell in love with like a fucking wuss."

"But I got her back, with a carefully crafted plan that made her putty in my hands."

Did he really believe that bullshit? "You listened to Jasper's high ramblings and got her balloons that she popped, roses she beheaded, and a kitten that she could have killed."

"And Bob! Don't forget Bob!" Jasper called, probably clutching the fucking bear to him as he spoke.

"That was only step one. It took several steps to land my Rosie."

"I remember them. They got me punched and insulted at every turn."

"She only hit you once, wuss. She had a lot of residual anger that was really just her sexual need for me. She's a lot calmer now."

I rolled my eyes. Blondie and I got along better these days, but I wouldn't call us friends. We just weren't enemies anymore. And she was officially my sister-in-law after she and Emmett got married in Vegas last month. So she was family.

"Your definition of calmer isn't mine. And is Mom speaking to you yet?" To say that Mom had been pissed that Emmett had gotten married without her being there was an understatement. She'd threatened my innocent ass that if I didn't have a beautiful wedding, she'd move next door to Reed Girl and me and make my life a living hell. She'd fucking do it, too.

"No," he said mournfully. Ha! He was such a fucking mama's boy. "It's not my fault we got drunk in Vegas. Tons of people get married that way! I told her we could get it annulled and get married again, but that just pissed Rosie off. I can't win, man."

"Yeah, I'm sure your wife loved you suggesting that your first wedding was wrong. Dumbass. And you think I have issues? I just wanted to know if I should do anything other than champagne and sex to celebrate Reed Girl's tryout. Unlike you two, I haven't fucked anything up with my girl." Because she was way better than theirs; that was just the truth. Their girls were high maintenance and ready to fly off the handle at a moment's notice. Reed Girl was just awesome and rarely got worked up over the tiny stupid shit I did.

"You never forgot an anniversary?" Jasper asked.

"Of course not. But we don't celebrate monthly anniversaries like you morons do either. And once I put a ring on her finger, that shit didn't matter anyway. We'll have a yearly anniversary when we get married, and that's that."

"Oh, Wife wouldn't like that very much. We have our monthly anniversary, the anniversary of the first time we had sex, and the anniversary of the first time we said we loved each other, the anniversary of when I met her parents…"

"You're ridiculous." I didn't need to hear how much shit those two had to celebrate. "Most of that was all within a day of you meeting her anyway."

"Yeah." I could hear the smile in his tone.

"I don't know how you remember that shit. You killed just about all of your brain cells before you even met her."

"Usually she tells me. I just didn't hear her this time because I was too caught up in football."

Thank fuck I had a sane girl who didn't expect stupid shit of me. Reed Girl would be sorely disappointed if she asked me to name the day I met her. Well, actually, I knew that because it was right after I kicked Gator ass all over my stadium. And that was also the first time had sex, so technically I knew that, too. And I'd told her I loved her the day I won my first Heisman, so I could name that, as well. And she met my parents the day after I won the ACC title…well, fucking hell. But she didn't expect me to commemorate those days monthly, which was very fucking fortunate.

"She'll forgive you, dude. Right now, we have to help Eddie. After all, it was our help that got him the girl in the first place."

I snorted. "How do you figure that?"

"You were all confused about the fact that you were in love with her after the party, where I started phase one of getting Rosie back. Jasper and I helped you figure out where to take her, and let's not forget that I'm the one who picked out Rainbow. She's the glue that holds you together, and that's because of me."

I looked down at Rainbow, who was lying on me in complete bliss as I petted her while I talked. "I wouldn't call her the glue." But she had made things easier. I was pretty sure I'd gotten my first real smile from Reed Girl when she saw me with Rainbow the first time.

"You keep telling yourself that, bro. Anyway, champagne is good, but girls like chocolate. Get her some."

I already had that covered. "Chocolate-covered strawberries."

"Awesome. And she was nervous, which means she was tense, so you should give her a massage."

That wasn't a bad idea. I planned on having her naked the whole night anyway. "Done."

"Noooo, not Eddie. He should get her to do it." Of course Jasper had to weigh in, and make no sense when doing so.

"What the fuck are you talking about, Jasper? I'm not going to make Reed Girl give me a massage after she's had a stressful day." Idiot. Even though it would feel amazing.

"Don't you live in that fancy place with the spa? Get one of them to come up and do that couples' massage thing. Wife loves it."

That was actually a good idea. "So, couples' massage, champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, fancy dinner in, and sex. Lots and lots of sex. Sounds perfect to me."

"And candles! And a bath!" Trust Jasper to add some girly shit. But he did tend to get that shit right, even if he was a dumbass. Reed Girl had surprised me with this unexpected and much-needed visit, and I wanted to surprise her with a night to remember. We'd both need it before another month-long separation.

"All right, I've got a lot of shit to get done before she gets home, then." I hated to say it, but I had to. "Thanks for your help."

"Anytime, bro. I am Mr. Romance!"

"I saw your drunken wedding pictures. I don't think anyone would agree, especially Mom." Ha! I loved giving him shit.

"Fuck. I'm going to have to knock up Rosie soon. Mom might forgive me if I give her a grandchild."

"Better you than me, dude." I'd suffer through whatever wedding monstrosity she and Reed Girl cooked up so she'd stay off me about kids. That shit was way off.

"A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."

"To make his mommy not mad at him anymore," I added, laughing along with Jasper.

"Fuck you both. I'm going home to my wife."

"I need to go, too. E-mail me the video, and I'll call you Friday night." After my first pre-season game. I couldn't wait.

"Sounds good. Thanks, man. Good luck with Reed Girl."

"I don't need luck." I had this shit in the bag. "But good luck with Shorty."

He chuckled. "She loves me. We'll be fine." And they would. Shorty could give the guy hell, but she did love his stupid ass. There was no accounting for taste.

"Later, man."

I disconnected and scooped up Rainbow. "Time to get ready for an awesome night."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N Happy Football Day!  Can you believe yesterday?  Undefeateds were falling right and left!  It was exciting as hell and mad props to the Bama/Ole Miss game for being so exciting.  My morons annoyed me so I watched that whole game instead.  I've been saying for the past couple of weeks that no team looks unbeatable this year (Auburn might be the closest but they've got some hard games coming up too) and I think most teams are gonna have at least one loss.  We'll see how it all plays out.  Going to be fun!**

**Here's hoping the NFL is exciting today too (and that my fantasy teams bounce back after the horrible bye week 4.  I'm still not over it!)  Rodgers and Lacy have already pleased me, so there's that!**

**Speaking of pleasing, let's see what Edward has in store for his Reed Girl!  Have a great Sunday!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 5

"Just set it up over there," I told the masseuses or whatever the fuck they were called. I think the lady at the spa had called them body technicians or something ridiculous. Whatever. I got a chick for Reed Girl and a man for me, even though I'd rather have a woman any day. Still, no man was touching her perfect skin, so I figured no woman was allowed to touch mine. It was one of those Relationship Rules that my father was always telling me about, even though I never fucking asked in the first place.

I left them to set up their tables and lotions and crap and headed to the bedroom. Candles set up and ready to go? Check. Roses by the bed? Check. I wasn't spreading the petals all over the bed like stupid Jasper had texted me to do, because that shit would be a pain in the ass to clean up and I didn't want petals stuck to my ass when Reed Girl rode me. Talk about a fucking mood killer.

The bathroom had more candles ready to be lit, along with some expensive-ass bubble bath that I'd picked up from some girly store I'd found when I was out running my errands. I had no idea why that crap cost fifty bucks a bottle, but it smelled good and the saleswoman had assured me that any girl would love a luxurious bubble bath. Somewhere around the time that she started blathering on about skin benefits, I'd said I'd take it and had run out of the store as fast as humanly possible. I was really only about one step away from buying tampons at that point. Fuck that noise. Never happening.

Everything appeared set, so I came out of the bathroom and saw Rainbow batting at the roses I'd left on Reed Girl's nightstand.

"Hey, no destroying the flowers!" I saw some chew marks on one of the petals and scooped her up before she did any more damage. "What is it with you and your inability to leave alone anything new that comes into the house?" She seriously got obsessed with anything that I brought in. I could bring in a sock and she'd be all fucking over it. "Weirdo."

She purred and head-butted me as I carried her back into the living room. She caught sight of the massage people and struggled to get down. I let her go, and she hopped onto one of the tables, sniffing and checking it all out with her tail swishing in the air. The girl started cooing over her, and that pleased Rainbow, so I left her and went into the kitchen.

Chocolate-covered strawberries were chilling in the fridge, along with the champagne. Reed Girl had said pizza was okay, but I could do better than that. Some restaurant delivery place would be bringing steaks at seven. Everything was set, and Reed Girl would be home any minute. She'd called after tryout, and I hadn't been able to tell from her tone how things had gone. Hopefully well. I wanted it for her nearly as much as she wanted it for herself.

I wouldn't have to wait long. I heard her key in the front door and hurried to greet her. The smile that crossed her beautiful face when she stepped in the door told me all I needed to know.

"You got it." I wrapped her in my arms, and she giggled as I twirled her around. Where the fuck had that come from? I was turning into such a fucking girl.

"I don't know yet, but it went well. Really well."

I put her down and kissed her soundly. "You got it. I can feel it."

"Well, I'll know in a few weeks anyway. Then it'll just be a few months until I can move up here permanently." Her face fell a little at the reminder that she'd be leaving me soon. Hell, mine wanted to, but I wasn't going to let her be down tonight. Not after she'd had such a great audition.

"None of that today, baby. You need to go change."

Reed Girl raised an eyebrow at me. "I thought the dress code for tonight was nothing."

I grinned as I pulled her into the living room. "We're working our way down to that. And all you need right now is a robe." Then I remembered there was a dude other than me in the room. Fuck. "A robe and some shorts." She could take the robe off after she was face down on the table.

"What's all this?" she asked, taking in the massage setup. She laughed when she saw Rainbow getting a rub of her own on one of the tables. "I think Rainbow is getting really used to the high life."

No shit. Kitty massages? Rainbow would probably try to demand that shit from me now. It wasn't happening.

"She's just holding your place. Let's go change, baby." I took her into the bedroom, and she threw her arms around me when she saw the roses and the candles.

"This is amazing."

"You deserve it. You knew I wanted you at that party, and you made it just in time to save me from unloading on that pushy PR lady."

Reed Girl laughed at that.

"You've busted your ass so you'd graduate early so we could be together even faster. You kicked ass today, and soon you'll be the best oboe player in the New Jersey Symphony. You deserve all this and more."

"Oh, Edward." Fuck, there were tears in her eyes. I knew they were happy tears, but still, that shit freaked me out. She kissed me, and I crushed her to me. "I love you," she murmured over and over, kissing me through her tears.

"I love you, too, baby. That's what tonight is about."

She released me and grinned, brushing the tears away. "You are so gonna get laid later."

I laughed, reaching into the drawer where I'd stashed another surprise. "I was counting on it. This is for you."

She took the box from me and had it open before I could blink. She "oohed" at the white silk robe she found inside. "My uniform for the evening, huh?"

"At least until after dinner."

She sent me a naughty smile and started unbuttoning her shirt. I reached down to help her with that, so she got to work on her skirt instead. She was naked in pretty much record time, and she laughed when I grabbed some shorts and thrust them at her.

"He's not seeing the goods."

"Fine, but you're leaving your shorts on, too."

"Count on it, baby. I don't want to be naked while some dude has his hands on me."

Her snickers turned into a sigh as I helped her slip the robe on. "So soft."

"Just like your skin." I brushed a finger down her neck and watched her shiver. "Come on before the cat uses up all our time."

She giggled as we walked out of the room hand in hand. I took her to her table and had to laugh with her at the sight of Rainbow getting her little shoulder blades rubbed. She was in pure heaven, purring loudly with her eyes closed.

"All right, Rainbow, time to get up."

Her eyes slitted open and I swear she glared at me.

"I'm not paying a few hundred bucks so you can get a massage." I scooped her up and set her on the floor.

Reed Girl shook her head as she climbed up on the table. I stood in the way, blocking the eyeful the male masseuse could have gotten as she took off her robe. "I'm ready," she said and let out a moan as the woman put some oil on her and got to work. That was one of her sex moans. This was a bad idea.

I turned and found Rainbow on my table this time. I took off my shirt and then pushed Rainbow off. She meowed her displeasure and then walked away with her tail stuck up in the air. Yeah, she was pissed. Oh well. I got on the table and tried not to listen to my girl moaning and sighing next to me. I was not about to get a hard-on with some dude's hands on me. Fuck that noise.

My girl reached over and twined her fingers through mine, and I let myself relax as the masseuse dude did his job. I had to admit it felt pretty good. My muscles were looser than they'd been since training camp had started by the time he was done. And whatever they used on us smelled really fucking good. Reed Girl's little moans had me very anxious for the night ahead, but at least I'd managed to keep my cock at bay by thinking of Jasper watching me while I slept. I still had nightmares about him sneaking into my room in the dorms and watching me at night.

I thanked and tipped the masseuses generously when they were done, giving the girl a little extra for taking care of Rainbow while we got ready. I practically shoved them out the door and tackled Reed Girl onto the couch, smothering her laughter with kisses as my hands slipped under her robe and felt her soft skin, which was even softer after the oils and lotions that she'd had used on her.

"You smell good enough to eat," I told her, sniffing at her neck as she wiggled beneath me.

"So, why don't you?" Her voice was breathy and suggestive as hell.

I smirked at her. "Why not indeed?" I had her robe open and her shorts off in record time. Her moans were a lot fucking louder than they'd been on that table when I spread her legs and went to town with my tongue and fingers.

She was screaming and shuddering around me within a couple of minutes, but I wasn't done. I'd be without her taste for several weeks, so I was going to get my fill. I flicked and nibbled and sucked on her clit while my fingers fucked her, sometimes slow, sometimes fast, not stopping until she'd come several times. Her body was still shaking when I took off my shorts and slid inside her. She was hot and wet, and our slick bodies slid together, fingers linked. We took it slow, kissing softly, staring at each other as I moved in and out of her. She came with me, tightening around me just as I let myself go.

"That was incredible," she murmured.

Too fucking true. It always was with us, but this time was right up there with our all-time best.

Before I said anything too pansyish, my cell rang. "That'll be our food." I gave permission for the delivery guy to come to the door and helped Reed Girl up, bundling her back in her robe. No way was he getting an eyeful of my girl.

"What happened to pizza?" Reed Girl asked when she saw the feast set up in the dining room.

"Tonight's special. Let me spoil you before you go back to school and salads and shit."

Reed Girl laughed as she cut into her steak. "I'm not exactly eating ramen every night. But this is a nice treat."

"You know we can afford…" I started, breaking off at her look.

"Don't start. You're still paying half the rent, or more than half."

I grinned at the look she shot me. So I sent extra every month, there was nothing she could do about it.

"I don't complain about it. But I don't need anything else. I'm getting by just fine."

Another thing to love about my girl. She definitely wasn't using me for my money. She didn't get all uptight when I spent it on her, but she didn't expect me to either. "I don't want you to just get by, baby. You deserve more."

She put down her fork and grabbed my hand. "You give me everything I could ever want, Edward. And if I spoiled myself like this every night, then I wouldn't appreciate it when you gave this to me. I'd rather have one special evening like this than a thousand of them. It means more."

Fuck, she slayed me. I brought her hand to my lips and gave it a light kiss. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"I just don't like the thought of you going without because I'm not there."

Reed Girl laughed. "Edward, I'm not destitute. Will it make you feel better if I assure you that if I need anything, I'll let you know?"

We'd had this discussion before, and I knew she meant it. She didn't want me to add her to my bank account until we were officially married. I thought that was ridiculous, but Reed Girl could be stubborn when she wanted.

"Fine," I muttered, biting into my steak. It was fucking good. So were the potatoes and even the vegetable mix.

"I used the credit card to fly up here, if that makes you feel any better."

Actually, it did. I didn't want her spending hundreds of dollars she didn't have to get to me. I'd pay for that anytime. "Good." I knew she was taking care of herself. And I made damn sure my brother had his eye out for her as well. "Now tell me about your audition."

Her face lit up, and she went on and on about the pieces she'd played and the fact that they'd asked her to play a song or two off the cuff and she'd nailed it. Even though I didn't know half the stuff she was talking about, I loved listening to her talk about her music. She loved it the same way I loved football.

"That was incredible," she murmured, standing and reaching for my plate.

"Oh, no." I stopped her. No way was she worrying about dishes tonight. "Just stay right there."

I ran into the bathroom and got the water started. Then I dumped some bubble bath in and lit the candles. "Perfect," I said after surveying the room.

"Yes, you are."

I turned from where I crouched next to the tub and there she was, standing in the doorway, her face illuminated by the candles, the robe clinging to her skin.

"You're so fucking beautiful." I walked to her, kissing her lightly before sliding her robe from her shoulders. God, that body of hers. I'd seen more than my fair share of them before she came along, but there really was nobody to compare to her. I led her to the bath before I forgot myself and fucked her right against the wall like I was dying to do.

"Thanks," she said as I helped her in. "Are you joining me?"

Why the fuck not? I should see what the fuss was with this expensive-ass bubble bath, after all. I pulled off the workout shorts I'd been wearing for the massage and lowered myself into the water. It did smell fucking good.

She moved between my legs, her back pressed against my front, and I ran my fingers up and down her arms, rubbing the bubbles over her skin.

"This is fantastic," she told me, resting her head against my shoulder. I kissed the curve of her neck because it was there and she was irresistible.

"Jasper kinda helped add to the night," I admitted grudgingly. She laughed at my tone. "My brother, too, though he was more of a hindrance as usual."

"I'm glad you talked to them. Did you make Jasper feel better about the game?"

I shrugged. "I told him to send me some film and I'll give him some pointers."

She tilted her head and kissed my jaw. "You're a good friend, Edward."

"I'm still not sure how that freak became my friend." He was like a little weed that sprang up and wouldn't go away, no matter how many times I tried.

"Because behind that egotistical exterior lies a pretty big heart."

Damn that was embarrassing. "Yeah, yeah. Don't tell anyone."

She laughed and wiggled around to face me. "I won't. That heart of yours belongs to me."

"Yeah, it does."

And then we were kissing and she was grinding over me, and it felt like I was going to explode. I stood and grabbed some towels, pulling her up and drying her off before doing myself. Then I blew out the candles and led her back into the bedroom.

I helped her onto the bed. "Wait here."

"There's more?"

I flashed a grin at her. "Always."

She sat back against the headboard. "Bring it, baby."

I hurried to the kitchen and got the strawberries and quickly poured some champagne. No way was I leaving a naked Reed Girl alone in our bed any longer than I had to.

I carried the stuff into the bedroom and grinned at my glowing, naked girl. "Dessert."

"Hmm, I thought I was about to get that before you walked out of the room."

That was my girl. I handed her a glass of champagne and the berries before getting into bed next to her and picking up my own glass.

"Oh, you'll get that too, baby. But first, to you getting a fuckawesome job with the symphony and both of us our living our dreams, together. The way it should be."

"Sounds right to me."

We clinked our glasses, and she took her first sip while I got a berry and held it out to her. Yeah, it was fucking hot when she put her beautiful lips around the berry and bit in. Some chocolate broke off and landed on her stomach, making her laugh.

Before she could reach for it, I set my glass aside. "Let me." I bent down and stuck out my tongue, licking her skin all around the chocolate before sucking it into my mouth. "Delicious," I told her, grinning at the dazed expression on her face.

She shook her head and sent me a sultry smile back. "Are you talking about me or the chocolate?"

Like there was even a comparison. "You. Always you."

She set her champagne aside and put the berries next to it. "Then have me."

I grabbed a condom and did. Over and over all night long. We both knew our time was limited, and we did our best to make the most of it. We stayed in bed until the last possible minute. Even though I didn't want her to leave, I drove like a bat out of hell to get her to the airport on time.

I parked and walked her in to the check-in area. It sucked that our goodbye had to be public, but I wasn't going to drop her off at the curb and drive away either.

"Call me as soon as you get home."

"I will." Her face looked so sad. "I hate leaving."

"I hate that you're leaving, too. But you're coming up for my first game, right?"

"Right. Four weeks. It isn't that long." She sounded like she was trying to convince herself, so I didn't admit that to me, it sounded like a lifetime.

"It isn't. And by that time, we should know about your job so we can celebrate your victory and mine."

She laughed. "Ever confident, aren't we?"

Damn right. "We are."

She reached up, her hands cupping my face. "I love that about you."

I grinned. "I know you do." I slipped my hands down around her waist and pulled her to me. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

We kissed until she absolutely had to go. I stayed with her while she checked in and took her as far as I could in the airport. Stupid fucking terrorists that made it so I couldn't take her all the way to the plane.

"I should have bought a ticket to anywhere so I could walk you in."

She laughed at my pathetic ass, as I'd known she would. "That would be a waste of money."

"So? I have it to waste."

"Save it for something better." She kissed me again, all too briefly. "I have to go."

"I know. I love you. I'll see you soon." She had tears in her eyes, and I had a feeling like I fucking wanted to cry, too. I hated when she left.

"I love you. And I'll call you in a few hours."

"Bye, baby."

One more kiss, and she was on her way. I watched until I couldn't see her fine ass anymore. Four more weeks. It wouldn't kill me. Hopefully.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Happy Football day!  Here I am with another chapter and I gotta tell you, this one gives me the giggles.  I hope it does you as well.  Everybody needs a laugh on the weekend, right?**

**I'm about to go do a final fantasy check after I post this at all the usual locations.  Running back injuries (and McCoy sucking, thanks Eagles) are kicking my ass hard this week.  As for college, how about them Mississippi schools?  I admit I thought last weekend was their glory and things would change this week but that's the beauty of college football.  You just never know.  They look scary.  As for my team?  They scare me in a whole different way.  Next week they play Notre Dame (who I hate with a passion) and if they don't win, Ima be pissed.  I hope they're saving the good stuff for next week because they've yet to show it this year, despite winning.  We shall see.  The parentals are visiting next week so that'll distract me anyway.  
**

**Someone made a joking comment in a review last week, which didn't upset me, but I did want to address it.  I've never said what color Edward's current teammates are.  There's a reason for that.  I don't think it's important.  But nearly 70% of the NFL is African American (I think I heard that stat on ESPN recently, not sure) so it's safe to assume that he's interacting with all races.  There aren't many American Indian NFL players, so just because I'm using the pack's names doesn't mean I see them that way.  The way I figure it, Edward's been playing football for so long with so many different types of people that he doesn't really see in colors either.  They're teammates, plain and simple.  So, just wanted to clarify that.  You guys picture them however you want :)**

**Happy football watching to those that do!  Have a great week ahead and see you next week with more!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 6

"What do you think, boys? Is he walking funny?"

I flipped Sammy off as I made my way to the bench press. So I was late today. My girl had left, and even after only two days with her, sleeping without her was fucking impossible. I'd tossed and turned so much that even Rainbow had abandoned me. That had pretty much never happened.

"What's the matter, Cullen? Your girl wear you out?"

I shot Brady a look as I adjusted my weights. "Is that envy I detect in your voice?"

"Hell, yes! No wonder you never go out with us when you've got a girl like that waiting for you."

I smiled in approval at Sammy. "I told you."

"Yeah, but damn. I almost swallowed my tongue when she walked into the room. And I'm pretty sure Colin shot a load under the table."

"Fuck off," he grunted as he hefted a good three hundred and fifty pounds. "I didn't jizz." He better fucking not have. "Until later." He laughed at the expression on my face. "Kidding, but she's hot."

"I thought Heidi was going to have an aneurism when she saw you two together. I guess she won't be getting you to contribute to her personal charity." Sammy grinned at me. "I'll be happy to be her star community leader in your place."

I snorted at that implication. "Have at it. Though I think you'd be her charity case instead."

"I've got all the charity she needs," Brady offered.

"Yeah, too bad for us she's all hot for Cullen. You gonna hit that, bro?"

I glared at Colin. "I don't cheat on my girl."

He held up his hands in a sign of peace. "No offense meant, man. If I had a girl like Bella, I'd do the same. But you never know with people."

"Well, now you know." I couldn't help but be pissed off at the implication that I'd ever consider cheating on my Reed Girl. "I've had more than my fair share of girls, and there's nobody who compares to my Bella."

"Hey, man, I get it. Even if I can't fathom hitting the same pussy for my entire life, it works for some people."

I rolled my eyes at Colin's idiocy. It was rare times like this that I actually missed Jasper and my brother. They understood what I had with Reed Girl.

"I think Edward's lucky. Yeah, a different girl every night can be fun, but there are times I wish I had someone to talk to about my day, to make me dinner and rub my shoulders after a hard day at work."

I laughed at Sammy's stupid ass. I'd love to see the look on Reed Girl's face if I expected her to have dinner on the table for me and a massage at the ready every night. I mean, sometimes she did that for me, and it was awesome. And sometimes I did that for her. And other times, we ordered in and cuddled on the couch or ate in bed and fuck…I missed her.

"That's not quite how it goes. Reed Girl would kick my ass if I expected her to have dinner on the table every night, but she's always willing to talk about my day and hers." I shrugged before I started to lift. "Since she's not here right now, I have to deal with just talking on the phone, but even that with her is better than fucking some random chick who means nothing to me." And…I probably sounded like a pussy. I could feel their eyes on me as I started my reps.

"Um, why do you call her Reed Girl?" Colin asked tentatively, probably scared I'd go off on him for having implied I'd ever cheat on my girl. And I would go off if he ever implied it again.

Shit, I'd slipped and used her nickname around these guys. I better never do that shit about Rainbow. I'd never live that down.

I laughed and told them the story of how we met. Most of the free world had seen clips of me running into the stands after the National Championship game, so they seemed thrilled to get the whole story.

"Anyway, she's always Reed Girl when we're alone or with our friends. I only use Bella in more formal settings." Or when I wanted to turn her the fuck on. It still never failed…A whispered Bella in her ear with a little nibble to go along with it, and her panties flew off in record time. That shit would never get old.

"Dude, you got laid in the locker room by a girl whose name you didn't even know. You are fucking legend!" Brady took the bar from me and slapped me hard on the back.

I wondered if maybe I shouldn't have shared that with them, but Reed Girl and I had never hidden how we met. And let's face it, our story was fucking epic.

"She's the hottest stalker ever," I told them. And she was. I'd happily be stalked until the end of time by my girl.

"Why can't that shit happen to me?" Sammy whined.

I tossed my sweat towel at him as I stood up, hitting him right in the face. "Because you're not Edward Cullen."

"Dick." He threw it back, and I caught it before it could hit me. "I'm gonna have to up my game if I hope to compete with that."

Remembering just how fucking hot it was, when I'd been cornered by my angry, sexy girl, I shook my head. "You couldn't begin to." Reed Girl was one of a kind. No matter whom he got, and where, they'd never be as awesome as she was.

"I have a new admiration for you, Cullen. It's a good thing for all of us you're not single. Pretty-boy quarterback with girls throwing themselves at you. I still can't believe you'd give that up, even if Bella is hot as hell."

Colin would never get it until some girl turned his world upside down the way Reed Girl had mine. "Well, consider yourselves lucky. They're all yours."

His dark eyes lit up. "Hey, maybe you could come out with us and brush them off, leaving us to dry their tears and offer them comfort."

I laughed and shook my head. "Sorry. No can do."

"Man, does Bella have your balls down in Tallahassee?"

That fucking did it. I poked a finger in his chest, not caring that he had a good seventy pounds on me. I'd knock his ass out if he thought he could insult me or my relationship.

"My balls are exactly where they belong, not that that's any concern of yours. If I were to go out with you guys, the girls wouldn't even notice you, and the tears I'd make them cry for their pathetic attempts to get with me would have them running from the table instead of into your arms. Nobody fucks with my relationship-not club sluts, not horny PR chicks, and certainly not you. Got it?"

"Damn, dude, chill out. I was joking." Colin eyed me warily, as did everybody in the gym.

"Yeah, you okay, man?" Sammy patted me lightly on the shoulder.

Fuck. "I'm fine." I shrugged at Colin. "I slept for shit last night. Sorry I snapped at you." Because she was gone and I fucking hated it. Getting a little bit of her was like an alcoholic going on a drinking binge for a weekend and then going cold turkey on Monday. I craved more, and I couldn't have it.

"It's okay. I was being a dick."

"You're always a dick," Brady told him helpfully. "We're all jealous that Cullen has a mega-hot girl, but we should count ourselves lucky that we don't have to compete with him now. And it's time for position meetings, so we'll have to commiserate about it later."

"You commiserate; I'll bask in it," I said, making them laugh and lightening the tension in the room some. That was a good thing. I really didn't need for my lineman to hate me. One purposely missed block, and I could get knocked out of a game.

"Prick. Let's go."

Xoxoxoxoxoxo

Fortunately, I was able to lose myself some in game tapes. We had our first preseason game against the Steelers, and I studied their blitz patterns and schemes with everything I had in me. I was going to be ready for Friday night. It'd be my first pro game, even if it was just a glorified scrimmage. I still wanted to look good. Not that that was ever a problem, but still.

After hours of meetings, I was starving. I pushed out of the office, ready to hit the cafeteria, but stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Heidi leaning against the wall in front of me.

"Edward! I was hoping to catch you."

_I just bet you were. Unfortunately for you, I'm already caught._

"It's not a good time. I need to eat before practice."

"I'd never want to get in between a man and his hunger." She licked her lips. "It so happens that I'm hungry. Perhaps I could join you? Or we could get our lunches and go to my office. It'd be more private."

Shit, this chick didn't do subtle, did she? That's okay, neither did I.

"Sorry, Hermoine, I promised the guys I'd meet up with them. We need to go over some plays for Friday." Ha! The look on her face was priceless. All those hours Reed Girl had made me spend watching those damn Harry Potter movies were totally worth it now.

"It's Heidi. And I'd be happy to join all of you."

Sure she would. "Whatever." I hurried down the hallway, and she scurried to keep up with me in her skirt and heels. I wasn't going to make it easy for her. Fuck that noise.

"I really think it's important that we get together to talk about your foundation."

My what? "What foundation?"

"If you'd stop running, I could explain." She reached for my arm, and I quickly jerked it away from her.

"I don't think you need to touch me in order to talk to me."

She sighed. "I was just trying to slow you down."

I stopped since we were right outside the cafeteria and I could hear voices inside. If she did anything I didn't like, I'd be in there so fast her head would spin.

"What do you want?" I didn't have the patience to be professional today.

"Many players establish their own foundations, especially the high-profile ones. Eli supports children's clinics, Jason Pierre Paul supports children's education, Sammy does March of Dimes…the list goes on and on. It's not required, but being a part of the community is strongly encouraged by every NFL team."

Crap. She was actually trying to do her job, and I was being a dick. "Sorry, it's a shit day and I'm not really thinking clearly. I'd love to start something up, but I'm not sure what yet."

"I'd be happy to help you figure it out. I have a wonderful list of local and national charities if you'd like to take a look."

"Sure. Just give me a copy or something, and I'll look it over."

"Oh, it's up in my office. Perhaps you could stop by at the end of the day and we could talk it out. It's important that you select something that you're passionate about. Is there anything in particular that gets you going?"

Holy fuck, was she serious? Yeah, she was. She reached for me again, and I stepped back.

"I'm passionate about my fiancée." Get the message, bitch. It was seriously hard not to just turn on my inner asshole, but this was work and I really did need to set something up.

She let out one of those fake-ass laughs that way too many girls did when they were flirting and getting shut down. "I don't think we can spin that into a foundation."

Maybe not, but I had an idea that made me grin. Unfortunately, she thought it was for her and stepped toward me again. Fuck no.

"My fiancée is an incredible musician. I'd love to get involved with something that had to do with children and music, perhaps arts education programs for local schools. Bella would be thrilled to help, and she just had a tryout with the New Jersey Symphony, so she'll have some connections once she starts working there."

Her smile had faded, and I felt triumphant as hell.

"I'll have to look and see what might fit the bill. That's pretty specialized."

"Sounds great. I'd be happy to give you Bella's number if you'd like to speak with her about it. She'd be heavily involved in any foundation I set up." I smiled at the frown she was sporting at the idea of going through my girl to get to me. "And knowing my girl, she'll have awesome ideas."

"I'm sure she will, but it's really important that you be involved as well."

"Where she goes, I go. No worries there." Yeah, I made myself sound like a pussy-whipped little bitch, but that was okay. I sort of was.

"Right, well, I should let you eat."

"Yeah, that works." Remembering what I had to do later had another idea come to me. "We also love animals. So I'd like to do something with the SPCA or Humane Society." Reed Girl would be thrilled with that one. She wanted more pets, but we both knew Rainbow would have a fit if any other animal dared cross our threshold.

"I can definitely work something out there."

"Great, we'll be in touch."

She started to say something else, but I was over it, heading into the cafeteria without a look back to see what else she wanted. Hell, I knew what she wanted, but she couldn't have me. I wasn't on the menu.

Xoxoxoxoxox

"Okay, Rainbow, this is important."

Big golden eyes looked back at me, and I was pretty sure she understood that I wasn't fucking around.

"You know that I have to travel some weekends when I have away games."

She head-butted my face, clearly not realizing what I was saying or she'd get pissy like she usually did when I left.

"We both know that you can't be trusted to be alone a few nights without pissing on shoes or pillows or shit. And we won't even talk about what you did to my favorite chair when I went to passing camp last summer." Some things were better left unsaid. I was pretty sure she willed herself to have diarrhea right on the cushion. I felt sick just thinking about it.

"So, you need to be nice to the lady who is coming over here to interview to be our housekeeper."

Housekeeper my ass. She was really going to be my Rainbow keeper. She'd be staying over on the nights that I wasn't going to be around. Reed Girl had laughed at me when I'd told her I was going to hire a babysitter for Rainbow, but she wasn't going to be here to deal with her shit, literally. This was the best course of action by far. If Rainbow was a normal animal, I could just get our neighbor, Mrs. Sellers, to check in on her a couple times a day, but no. Rainbow needed to be watched, closely.

Rainbow put her paw on my face.

"I'm going to take that as a yes. You be on your best behavior, and you'll get all the treats you can scarf down."

That word always worked on Rainbow. She started to go apeshit and rub all over my face, so I grabbed the container and gave her a few.

The doorman buzzed right after she got off me, so I headed to the door to greet the person the agency had sent over. I'd requested someone who was nurturing, even though I didn't have any kids. I figured they'd send a nice grandmotherly type over that would hopefully spoil the shit out of Rainbow and make her happy.

I opened the door, and the smile of greeting I'd plastered on my face slipped off when I saw what awaited me. This was no grandmother. This chick was in her early twenties, and she was a lot better looking than what I'd pictured, with long dark hair and eyes that were nearly black and a body, well, a few years back, I'd have fucked her without question. Was she wearing a bra? It didn't look like it. I felt bad for noticing and immediately looked at her face.

"Edward Cullen? I'm Gianna Rossi." Her accent was heavy on the Italian.

I was pretty sure I'd never seen a housekeeper that looked like this one. Where in the hell had Colin come up with this company?

I realized she was still standing in the doorway looking at me questioningly, so I stepped back and let her enter, wishing like hell that Reed Girl were here.

"This is very nice home," she said, looking around with interest.

"Thanks." I led her into the living room, where Rainbow awaited. I gestured to the couch while I sat in my recliner. "So have you been doing this long?"

"For a little more than a year." She held out a hand, and Rainbow took a sniff. "Pretty kitty."

"She thinks so."

Rainbow apparently found her lacking, because she didn't rub on her. She sat next to Gianna and promptly started to lick her ass area. If that wasn't a sign, I didn't know what was.

Time to get this interview over with. "What duties do you do?"

She sat up a little straighter. "I clean kitchens, bathrooms, windows." She glanced at the wall of glass across the room. "Lot of windows, I see."

"Yeah." I fucking loved the view from this place. I was meant to live here.

"I do laundry, vacuum, anything but cook."

That all sounded perfect. "What about the litter box?" Because that was the worst part of having a cat, cleaning up their crap. I really should teach Rainbow to use the toilet like that cat did in _Meet the Parents._ Rainbow was totally smarter than the cat in that movie.

She glanced at Rainbow again, who was steadily ignoring her as she groomed herself. "I can do that."

So far so good, even though I had a feeling Reed Girl would not be on board if I hired this woman. Still, she wasn't hitting on me, and I certainly wouldn't hit on her, so maybe it would be okay.

"And you'd be willing to stay over certain weekends when I have away games?"

She looked at me and shrugged. "It's not usually in job description, but I could."

"Okay." I figured I'd explain about Rainbow after I actually hired someone. They didn't need to know her psychotic tendencies before they were locked in.

"Would you like a demonstration of what I do?" she asked, standing from the couch.

Demonstration? I wasn't sure why I needed to see her clean windows or whatever, but what the fuck did I know? I'd never hired a housekeeper before.

"Um, sure?" I managed, it coming out more like a question than an answer.

She bent over, right in front of my face, and took a feather duster out of her bag. Alrighty then. If she carried her own supplies around, good for her.

She smiled at me as she started dusting the coffee table. Rainbow perked up when she saw feathers and tried to jump at the thing, making us both laugh. Gianna let her wrestle with it for a minute, earning some real points in my eyes. Making Rainbow happy was the goal, after all.

"Are you a dirty girl? You need dusting?" Okay, that was weird, but Rainbow didn't seem to care, trying her damndest to rip the feathers out of the thing. "Does your owner need dusting?"

Before I could react, she'd swiped the feathers across my cheeks. "What the fu-"was all I got out before I looked up and saw that her shirt was wide open and I'd been right about the lack of bra.

I leaped out of the chair and hurried behind it, keeping it between us. "Look, lady, I don't know what you think you're doing. I'm engaged. I just want a housekeeper, not a hooker!"

"I'm not hooker!" She started gesturing wildly, but I wasn't looking at whatever she was doing. I kept my eyes on her face. "This is job!"

"What kind of job requires you to be topless, other than being a stripper or a hooker?" My life was so fucked up. Reed Girl needed to get her ass back here pronto. Weird shit happened to me when she wasn't around. Strippers disguised as cleaning ladies got into the house, for fuck's sake.

She sighed and bent over again to get something out of her bag. I was scared as hell to see what she might come out with this time. Handcuffs? A whip?

Thank fuck, it was a business card. I took it. "Can you close your shirt, please?" One glance at the card, and I knew why she'd been so fucking forward at least. "Topless Housekeepers? That's a fucking thing?"

"Yes, is very popular."

I could imagine why. It was actually pretty fucking brilliant, if I thought about it. But I couldn't, because she was still in my living room and her shirt was still open and I was uncomfortable as hell. Also, Colin was a fucking dead man.

"I'm going to ask you one last time to put on your shirt and leave. This won't work."

"Is just body. No need to be uncomfortable. Nothing wrong with watching."

Yes, there was. I felt guilty as fuck, and I hadn't even done anything wrong. "I have a fiancée, and you really need to leave."

I heard the edge in my own voice, and so did Rainbow. She abandoned the dropped duster and hopped on the chair in front of me.

Gianna put her arms on either side of the chair and bent toward me. "Mr. Cullen, you don't need to be embarrassed. Man has needs. You're very handsome. Perhaps I can take off more-"

"Fuck no! Get out!"

I'd had it with being polite. I yelled, and that was all it took. Rainbow yowled, puffed up her fur and Gianna got a swipe right across one of her boobs.

She screamed, and I grabbed Rainbow quickly before she took another swipe. Gianna was cursing in Italian, and Rainbow was spitting mad, and I was trying to hold her back, even though I wanted to turn her loose.

"Can you please put on your shirt and go?"

"You're crazy! I sue you!"

Fucking great. "You go ahead and try. I'll sue you for sexual harassment. Get the fuck out of my house."

She finally did, grabbing her shit and running toward the door as she finally put her fucking shirt back together. The door slammed behind her, and I threw my ass back on the couch, petting Rainbow and trying to calm her the fuck down.

"I really can't believe that just fucking happened." Emmett would have been in heaven. His life is a porno shit actually came true for a brief moment. If Blondie wouldn't kill me, I'd totally send him a topless housekeeper for his birthday. He'd fucking die.

Once the adrenaline of the moment died off, the guilt crept back in. I hadn't done anything wrong, had I? I'd done my best not to focus on her chest, even though she'd shoved it right in my face. I'd asked her to put her shirt on immediately, right?

Fuck. I hated feeling like this. I grabbed my phone and called Reed Girl. She'd barely said hello when I spilled the whole story. Any guilt I felt quickly vanished as the sound of her laughter filled the line.

"Real fucking funny, baby. There I was, trying to get a housekeeper slash babysitter for Rainbow, and I have tits in my face, and an angry yowling cat, screaming in Italian, and threats of lawsuits, and you're laughing at me?"

"This would only happen to you; you know that right?"

"Fucking Colin. Tells me he knows a great housekeeping service he uses all the time, and I trust his stupid ass? I'm gonna kill him."

"No, you're not. You'll get him back someday, but nothing bad really happened. She won't sue you. She started to offer you more than the authorized services, I'm sure, so she could lose her job. And our girl protected you."

I glanced at Rainbow, who was lying on my chest looking mighty proud of herself. "Yeah, she protected my honor."

Reed Girl had another fit of giggles at that, and this time I joined her. It was a really fucked-up day, but both of my girls were there for me after it was all said and done. That was what really mattered.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N Happy Football Day! It's made even happier for me by the fact that my Noles managed to come back and win against ND. Of course I didn't watch it, seeing as they choose to play like crap when I do. And the fam ran me ragged this weekend so I went to sleep at 10. I'm such a party animal. haha But I was happy when my phone alerted me to the win just after midnight. I was sweating that game hard, so I'm extremely happy to escape with a win and for once the refs didn't smile on the Irish as they usually do.**

**Injuries! That's what fantasy football comes down to, really. So many big names banged up. Le sigh. I'm not playing Jimmy Graham, so if you have him, you probably should start him since he'll get 2 td's or something just to punish me for benching him. Jordan Cameron did that to me last week. haha It's a good thing I love fantasy or I'd hate it :)**

**Anyway, hope you've had a great weekend and have a great week ahead. I have an interview running on ADF this week, if you're interested in reading! I talk a bit about Rainbow and Edward, haha. Maybe Edward will talk a bit about Rainbow...let's read on and see! See you next week!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 7

"You ready, man?"

I nodded at Sammy, just soaking it all in. It had been far too long since I'd stood on a football field to play a game that meant something. Well, admittedly, a pre-season game didn't mean a lot, but still. I was the starting quarterback of the New York Giants, in my new stadium, ready to put on a show, for as long as they let me play.

"Be sure to get me the ball early and often. I'm feeling hot!"

I smirked at that one. If anybody was hot here, it was me. I had to admit, I looked damn good in Giants' blue. Thank God the Giants had traded up to get me. Mud brown didn't look good on anybody, not even me.

"Try not to make us look bad, rook."

I didn't even bother replying to Colin. I wasn't talking to that fucker after the shit he'd pulled with the topless maid.

"Oh, are you still giving me the silent treatment? It was just a little joke. I knew your girl was gone, so I thought you'd at least like to see some naked breasts, to tide you over until she returned."

Whatever. "Unlike you, I don't have to pay to get chicks naked."

Sammy laughed. "He has a point. Just how often do you use that service yourself?"

"I believe in having the breast cleaning service man can buy! A man's home is his castle, and if he can have naked females in that castle making it clean, how is that wrong?"

Colin's expression was so earnest that even I couldn't help but laugh. He had somewhat of a point, even if he was an asshole. Had I been single, I probably would have enjoyed the cleaning demonstration, though I never would have paid for it. Edward Cullen didn't have to pay to get girls naked. Ever. Hell, I'd never even had to take them to dinner first.

"Yeah, but have you ever had one of them proposition you while your cat was going apeshit and trying to attack her while your fiancée was a thousand miles away?"

Several pairs of eyes got rather large at my question. "What?"

"Did you just say you had a cat?" Sammy asked, looking at me like I'd grown another head.

Fuck. Had I? Shit. I had. "Uhhh…"

"You have a cat?" Colin practically shouted. Several nearby players turned our way.

Fucking hell. What had I done? I just shrugged and started tossing the ball to Paul twenty yards away.

"Cullen, if you'd told me you had a pussy at home, I wouldn't have recommended the cleaning service! Tell me about her. I bet you can make her purr like nobody's business!"

I chucked the ball at Colin's head, and he just managed to bat it away before it hit him in the face.

"Seriously, man, is this why you never let us come over to your sweet pad at Crystal Point? You don't want us to see that you've got a cat?" Brady asked.

Damn right it was. No single guy I knew had a cat. They'd think I was weird or had issues or something. This was why I'd never mentioned Rainbow.

"She's not mine. She's Bella's." That was my story and I was sticking to it.

"If she's Bella's, why isn't she in Tallahassee with her?" Damn it, Sammy, you weren't supposed to ask that.

Fucking hell. "She has behavioral issues and she's just better with me." There. That was mostly true without making me sound like the utter pussy they clearly thought I was for having a cat at home by myself.

"I don't get it."

Of course they didn't get it. It wasn't gettable.

"What's her name?"

Fucking hell. That was the last thing I wanted to tell them after telling them I had a cat in the first place. This was all my brother's fault. His and Jasper's. If they weren't such fucking morons, she wouldn't have such a fucked-up name.

"What does that matter? We have a game to play, don't we? Why are we sitting around discussing my fiancée's pet?"

"You're the one who brought her up, dude."

Fuck off, Brady. It wasn't on purpose.

"And if she was really Bella's, she'd be with instead of you. Is she yours? Are you ashamed of your pet, Cullen? I have a pit bull and a Doberman at home. I'm not ashamed to tell you that."

Damn it. Paul was standing there along with JPP and a few of the defensive guys now. Everybody was listening to this fucked-up conversation.

"I bet she has a super cute name, like Precious or Mrs. Cuddlebottom."

Fuck. Paul wasn't that far off, although Cuddlebottom was just insane.

"Why are we discussing this? We have a game to play."

"Just tell us your pussy's name, and we'll leave you alone." Colin smiled at me mischievously. I didn't trust that smile one bit. Fuck this noise.

"Fuck it. Her name is Rainbow. She was named that by my brother, who was going to give her to his ex, but somehow that didn't work out. And she is Bella's, but she has an unholy attachment to me. So much so that there was no way I could leave her in Tally while I was here. So Bella made me bring her with me. She's as protective as any pit bull, and she's fucking crazy, but she's also kinda awesome. She attacked the aggressive cleaning lady and Bella's ex and Jasper and will take out anyone else who pisses me off. She's better than all your fucking pets put together. And I'm not fucking embarrassed, and I'd like to play a goddamn football game instead of standing around talking like the pussy you all think I am."

Everyone was staring at me after I finished my rant. Sammy actually raised his hand, making me stifle a laugh.

"What?"

"She sounds like fun. Can I meet her?"

"Maybe. But I won't be held accountable to her reaction to you. Naked maid got her tit sliced open. You're taking your life in your own hands."

"Cool. Maybe you should bring her and let her rip into your PR stalker." That wasn't the worst idea Sammy had ever had.

"What are you all standing around for?" Saved by the bell. Or the coach, in this case.

"Nothing," I assured him, gesturing to Paul and Sammy to run some routes.

"We were just talking about Cullen's pussy, Coach."

I flipped off Colin behind Coach's back, hurrying to put my finger down before he turned to me.

"Call me old school, but I don't like to hear any woman referred to that way."

Like fucking hell I'd let anybody talk about Reed Girl that way. "He's not talking about Bella, Coach. He's talking about her cat."

" _His_ cat," Colin corrected.

"Whatever. I'd kick his ass if he was actually referring to Bella."

Coach nodded. "Good. I'd let you. She seems like a great girl."

The fucking best. "She is."

"Good. Now put her out of your mind and go show me what you've got. I'm not just handing you the starting position, you know. Montoya is a solid vet."

Juan Montoya had been a late round pick seven years ago who'd never been anything but a back-up. He'd gone 1-2 in relief for Eli last year. I wasn't remotely threatened.

I snickered, and Coach pointed a finger at me. "I mean it, Cullen. Don't fuck up out there."

"I won't. How long do I get to play?"

"You get a quarter to start. I'll re-evaluate then."

"Not a problem." I'd own my quarter.

xoxoxoxoxox

It felt oddly the same but different as I watched the captains line up for the coin toss. It was different because I wasn't out there yet, even though I was the quarterback. You had to earn your captaincy, and I had every intention of doing so this year. We won the toss and elected to go on offense to start the game. Thank fuck. I was itching to get on the field.

"All right, Cullen. You're up."

I trotted onto the field, basking in the roar of the crowd. I knew they were pretty excited about having me around here. My jersey was the number-one seller for all rookies, and I fully intended to be at the top of all sales before long. Edward Cullen was here, and it was time the league knew it.

I huddled with my men, calling the boring-ass running play that the OC was calling for though my helmet. If it were college, I would totally have ignored that shit and run my own play. But I knew better than to test Coach before the job was officially mine.

We lined up, and I went into my cadence. Colin snapped the ball on my signal, and I handed it off to Jennings. He ran straight into the line, where a small hole had opened between Colin and Brady. He whipped off seven yards before the Steelers' linebacker took him down.

Second and three. Coach actually showed some balls and called for a screen to Jennings. At least I'd finally get to throw. I got behind center and took a three-step drop when the ball hit my hands. Jennings cut in from the left, and I hit him for a six-yard gain. First down. Fuck yeah.

I wanted to shout in triumph when the next play was called. They wanted Paul to run a deep route while Sammy cut in about fifteen yards deep as a safety net if the long ball wasn't there. I kept my face schooled in a professional mask when I called the play in the huddle.

Paul said something that sounded like _hell yeah_ as we broke and lined up. I took a five-step drop after I had the ball, looking left the whole time to throw off the safety. I could see Paul out of the corner of my eye, and he had a step on Bird. I let the ball fly just as the force of a Mack truck slammed into me. Fuck.

I couldn't see since I was buried under about six hundred pounds of Steelers' defensive lineman, but the roar of the crowd let me know that my pass had been complete. I waited until Cameron's fat ass was hauled off me and Brady helped me up, slapping me on the back.

"Nice fucking throw!" And it had been. I watched the replay on the Jumbotron as my pass sailed into Paul's arms. He'd streaked the rest of the way into the end zone. It was just that easy.

I jogged off the field, taking the slaps and words of congratulations along the way.

"You almost held the ball for too long," were Coach's first words to me. Of fucking course.

"As soon as I saw he had the separation, I let it go."

He nodded. "It was a nice throw. With time, you'll be able to let it go without the separation. You have to know your receivers as well as you know yourself. He'll get open, and if he doesn't, the pass will be incomplete. Don't take any risks."

"I won't."

"Good. Go see Coach Thomas."

I went and looked at the video of the plays I'd run while the defense took the field. He showed me the defensive schemes they were running, and we talked about the tells the mike linebacker gave when the blitz was on. He rocked back on his heels a bit, hoping to get a more powerful push-off at the snap of the ball. It was something I could watch for.

The defense gave up a field goal, and we got the ball back at our own twenty after a touchback. I lined up behind Colin and handed off to Jennings, who got stuffed at the line for no gain.

My eyes were on the middle linebacker as I took my position. We were going to screen to Sammy, with Paul and Embry acting as decoys to pull off the corners and safeties. Sammy against the linebackers was a mismatch I couldn't wait to exploit. He was a speed demon. Brooks rocked back on his heels, and I knew they were going to bring the heat. A perfect time for a screen. I got the ball and immediately whipped it to Sammy. He broke off a twenty-two-yard run after the catch for a gain of thirty. It was a thing of beauty. We were already at mid-field.

A running play, gain of five, had us second and five at their forty-five. Not far from field goal range. Coach gave me a shot, calling for a post route to Embry over on the left hash. They'd been burned by the blitz a couple plays ago, and Brooks kept his feet still, so the heat wasn't coming. I took five steps back. Embry broke in but stumbled, falling on the play. Fuck. I couldn't see it, but I had the sense I'd always had that pressure was coming at me hard. I back-pedaled and saw my safety valve, Jennings, open on the left side just as someone slammed into me from the right. I let the ball fly in his direction, praying it would find its target.

The groan from the crowd let me know that wasn't the case. I pushed myself up and watched as Brooks streaked past. Fuck me. Sammy tried to chase him down, but he'd been too far downfield to be of any use. Pick six. I couldn't remember the last time I'd thrown one of those.

The words of congratulations weren't there this time as I jogged off the field. One look at Coach's face told me all I needed to know. He was purple.

"What the fuck was that?" he shouted, getting in my face immediately.

"I tried to check down-"

"As you were getting sacked! Who do you think you are? Favre? You know better than to try to pull off a miracle throw as you're going down. You protect the fucking ball!"

He was right. I did know better. Sure, occasionally the pass would find its target, but it was a low-percentage throw. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"What you are is done. Go see Thomas and review how fucking stupid that throw was for the next few quarters."

"But-"

"Go!"

I figured I'd fucking better before he had an aneurism right there on the sideline. Fuck. He couldn't be any more pissed at me than I was. How many times had I been in that position in my life? Countless. And I'd never once thrown a pick six. Sometimes I'd taken the sack, sometimes I'd completed the pass, and a few times it had been incomplete. A pick fucking six. Fucking awful.

I barely even noticed the rest of the game as I studied every move I'd made in my shortened outing. I hadn't even made it the whole quarter. I went straight to Coach's office after the game, going over everything again, reiterating the fact that I wouldn't have a mental fuck up like that again. He promised me that if I didn't, I'd get a whole half next week, and I wanted it. I needed it if I was going to be the starting quarterback.

After that meeting, I'd been fortunate to get to avoid the press. Coach had taken the heat for me, and I'd wandered back to the locker room, wishing like hell that Reed Girl would be waiting for me there. But no, it was empty. I showered and went to my locker, changing into my clothes before picking up my phone. I turned it on, and it immediately started chirping with missed messages and texts.

I glanced at the first text without much interest.

_I'm watching you right now._

What the fuck? I looked at the name and shook my head. Fucking Jasper. Only he could make watching my game creepy. Freak.

_I'm wearing my brand new Cullen 7 jersey._

Gross! Didn't he know that…oh, thank fuck. That one was from Reed Girl. I wished I could see her in nothing but my jersey. Burying myself inside her and forgetting about this fucked-up game was all I wanted to do.

Her next text had me aching even more for her.

_I'm sorry. Call me when you get home. I love you._

I tried calling from the car, but she didn't answer. That had me more depressed, and even the sight of Rainbow waiting for me when I got home didn't help overly much. I still picked her up and let her head-butt me, but I was too busy reliving the play in my mind to be comforted by it.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out.

_Meet me on Skype, now._

I hopped up from the couch, hurrying to the bedroom. I got out my iPad and called up Skype, clicking on Reed Girl's name and nearly sighing with relief when the call connected. Then she came into view, and I forgot pretty much everything I knew. Because there was my girl, lying on our bed in nothing but my Giants jersey.

She shot me a sympathetic smile that turned into a laugh when Rainbow leaped up and joined me on the bed.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I shrugged and started to pet Rainbow as I looked into my girl's beautiful brown eyes. "I blew it."

"You made a bad throw. If your coach hadn't been an asshole, you'd have gone right back in and scored a touchdown just like you did on the first drive."

Her outrage made me smile. "He was pissed. I made a rookie mistake, and I shouldn't have."

"But you are a rookie!"

My laugh died off as she threw her hands up and the jersey went high up on her thigh. What were we talking about? Oh, right.

"I meant, like a twelve-year-old should know better. Not a rookie, rookie. I know better than that."

"Maybe you do, but he still should have given you a chance to make it right."

"He promised me a full half next week, provided I don't do anything that stupid again."

"Good. You're gonna kick ass next week. I just know it."

I smiled at her. Nobody could make me feel as good as she did. Her faith in me was all I really needed.

"You know, you're awfully distracting dressed like that."

She giggled. "I hoped you'd think so! I have to admit, this is a first for us. I've never had to comfort you after a bad game before."

It was true. I hadn't lost in the entire time she'd known me. Hell, I couldn't remember the last time I'd lost.

"You picked a surefire way to do so."

She laughed again. "I thought it might help. I'm sorry I'm not there."

"Me, too."

Rainbow apparently didn't like that I'd stopped petting her. She climbed up me and put a paw on my face.

"Looks like our girl is doing her best to stand in for me."

I shook my head and Rainbow head-butted me again. "Nobody ever could, not even Rainbow." But her purring and rubbing against my face didn't hurt. "But she helps a little, too."

"I figured you'd need her until I could join you both. You'll take care of Daddy, won't you, Rainbow?"

Speaking of… I groaned. "I slipped and told the guys about her."

Reed Girl giggled madly at that. "You have to tell me that story."

So, I sat back, Reed Girl in front of me and Rainbow in my arms, and told her the story. By the end, we were both laughing and Rainbow was curled into her spot on my neck. My girls came through for me, just like they always did.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N Happy Football Sunday friends! First, let me apologize if you sent a review and I didn't reply. FF had some issue with my email on Monday and Tuesday so nothing got through to me in the early part of the week. I fixed it and all seems to be well again, but if I didn't respond to you, that's why and I'm sorry! You all know I'd never ignore your reviews on purpose :)**

**Another undefeated fell yesterday. College football chaos continues! It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out. That playoff committee is gonna have their hands full this first year. And let's face it, every year. haha But that's their problem and we'll all just yell about it if our teams get stiffed, right? At least we have a little bit of a playoff. When they accept that their bowls are outdated and turn them all into playoffs, a la March Madness, well, that'll be a beautiful thing.**

**I think a lot of you have been waiting for what happens in this chapter. hehe I hope you enjoy it! Have a great week ahead and I'll see you next week. Off to tinker (but not stinker, The League fans) with my lineups! Minor time skip this chapter, I'm not writing all the preseason or reg season games, but you'll get records and such, trust me :)  
**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 8

"I really can't believe I'm doing this."

Rainbow eyed me as I put several bowls of chips and pretzels on the coffee table. Beer was chilling in the refrigerator, pizza was on the way, and the new, legitimate housekeeper had the place sparkling.

"I don't know how Jasper talked me into this. Or Sammy. Clearly Reed Girl's been gone too long. I've lost my damn mind."

Rainbow head-butted me as I walked past the couch to grab the remote. We'd played our third preseason game Thursday night, so we had the weekend off. Next week, the scrubs would battle it out to make the team. I might get in for a series, tops. I wasn't concerned about it. I'd done my job in the second game, and especially the third. I'd played that whole half, had no picks, two touchdowns, and I'd only been sacked once. I was ready to go, and Coach agreed with me. The team was officially mine.

Maybe I'd been on a high from that when I'd agreed to this bullshit. Surely I had been when I'd invited the guys over. They'd been giving me shit about seeing my place and meeting Rainbow, so I was finally giving in. I was high on football and sexually deprived. That made for a dangerous combination and had me stupidly letting my two different worlds collide.

"You're going to be as well-behaved as you possibly can be, aren't you?"

Rainbow rubbed up against my hand, purring and swishing her tail happily.

"I mean it. I already told those assholes that you're better than their dogs are, so you have to prove it. They're my teammates, and if you act all crazy, they're going to think I'm nuts, too."

She meowed, which I took as agreement. Then she stood on her back feet, so I took the hint and picked her ass up. She immediately head-butted my face, rubbing all over me and sounding like a fucking lawnmower as she purred away.

"Yeah, yeah. That better fucking mean yes. If you embarrass me, you'll sleep by yourself for a week." Damned if she didn't put a paw over my mouth when I said that. Even Rainbow knew I was spewing bullshit. "Okay, fine, you won't, but only because Reed Girl's not here and I can't sleep alone anymore."

That shit was fucked up, too. I used to love being alone in my bed, but in the past couple of years, I'd grown accustomed to Reed Girl taking up like sixty percent of the space and Rainbow hogging my pillow. I fucking liked it. Road games were going to suck ass this year. I never got used to being alone. And come December, I'd never have to again. Thank fuck.

The bell rang, and I eyed Rainbow again. "Here we go. Remember, best behavior. I like these guys, well-except for Colin. If you want to fuck with his fat ass, feel free."

I put her down, and she padded next to me to the door. That wasn't new. Rainbow was a weird-ass cat who acted like a dog in many ways. Emmett's wussy cat always hid the instant someone came to the door, and I was pretty sure Jasper's were brain dead, since they rarely moved at all, but Rainbow? She fucking walked right to the door to greet whoever was there and make damn sure that they planned on giving her the attention she felt she richly deserved. I shot her one more look before I opened the door.

"Hey, Rook! Where's the beer?" Brady's giant paw clapped down on my shoulder, nearly sending me pitching forward.

Fucking hell. Before I could warn him, Rainbow puffed up and took a swipe at his leg. For being nearly three-hundred pounds, he was agile as hell and just managed to dodge her claws.

"Whoa! Calm down, demon kitty!" He glared at me. "What the fuck, man?"

I shrugged and bent to pick her ass up before anybody else got taken out. "She thought you were hitting me. Rainbow protects me."

He looked at her with what might have been respect. "Can she teach my lab that shit? I'm pretty sure if I was getting my ass kicked in my own living room, he'd just lick the perpetrator."

I laughed at that image. No way would Rainbow tolerate that shit.

"Rainbow is vengeful as hell, man. Bella's ex pissed me off, and she sliced his ear, made him fall on his ass, and pissed in his shoes." I turned to smile at Colin, who loomed in the doorway. "If I don't like someone, Rainbow doesn't like them."

He smirked and looked at her as if she was vermin. He was taking his life in his hands, and he didn't even have a fucking clue.

"Man, it smells like the wrong kind of pussy in here. Where's your girl?"

Oh, fuck no. My fist shot out and connected with his jaw before I even had a chance to think about it. I pressed him against the wall, a hand on each shoulder. Rainbow yowled and started spitting and hissing.

"You will not disrespect Bella, whether she's here or not. And if you ever fucking say one word about her, it'll be your last."

Rainbow punctuated my speech with a growl, and she stood on my shoulder at the ready in case he tried to strike me back.

"Chill, man. Edward invited us over, and you're gonna act like a dick before you even get past the front door? What the fuck is your problem?" Paul smacked him upside the head as he and Sammy stepped inside.

Colin's eyes were narrowed and his nostrils flared. We eyed each other, and I slowly released him. He swiped a hand across his busted lip, never breaking my gaze.

"It was just a joke."

"You can give me shit about anything but my girl. She's off limits, always."

"He's just jealous because he doesn't have one." Sammy smiled, trying to diffuse the tension. "So this is the famous Rainbow. Hello! Aren't you a fierce one, protecting your dad? Can I touch you, or will you try to take my finger off?"

I saw that her fur had started to go back down and figured it was safe. "Hold your hand out to her, and she'll decide if you're worthy."

He laughed and did so. She eyed him, saw his smile, glanced at me, and I gave her a nod. She gave him a head-butt and rubbed against his hand, making him laugh.

"Well, there now. Who's a good girl? And so smart! You know who the best guy here is, don't you?"

And damned if Rainbow didn't rub her head against my jaw that comment. Everyone laughed at that, even Colin.

"Sorry, man. It really was a joke. Rookie hazing, you know?"

No, I didn't know. But he was one of my linemen, and I needed to trust him to protect my ass every Sunday.

"No harm, no foul. Just leave Bella out of it."

"Done." He held out a hand, and I shook it. Rainbow growled low but didn't lash out at him. He was on her list, though, and I knew she'd never like him. Rainbow held grudges like nobody's business.

"So, are we doing this shit or what?" Brady called from the living room.

I ushered the rest of the guys in and found him sprawled over my couch. "Get up, douche. We have enough room for everyone if you don't take up the whole couch."

"Where's the food?" Paul asked, already helping himself to a handful of chips.

"On its way." I'd ordered five pizzas, and there were only five of us here. That should be enough, even knowing how Colin and Brady could eat. Well, all of us, really.

Brady sat up, and I took my recliner before one of those fuckers even thought about it.

Sammy was wandering around the room, checking out the view and looking at the pictures of Reed Girl and me that decorated the bookshelves.

"Nice pad, Cullen. What did this set you back?"

I shifted uncomfortably at the question. We all had money, obviously, but I had more than even the vets in the room did. "A couple mill." Give or take another million.

He whistled. "Must be nice to be a quarterback."

I rolled my eyes. "Like you're begging for change in the streets? You make more than I do." For now.

"Until you add up your endorsements." He pointed at the Rolex on my wrist. "Timex wants me to model their plastic line. A thousand bucks!"

We all laughed at his stupid ass, but I had to admit he'd dispelled some of the tension between Colin and me. We shot the shit for a few minutes until the food came. Then they all ate like they hadn't been fed in months.

After most of the food was demolished and a couple beers consumed apiece, Brady grinned at me. "So, are we doing this or what?"

I glanced at the clock and bit back a sigh. I still couldn't believe I'd agreed to this.

"Okay, but remember, I warned you. He's not…"

"Normal. Yeah, yeah, man, just get him on the thing." Paul gestured at my iPad.

I grabbed my laptop while they got out their phones and tablets, logging in to my wifi. I sent a silent prayer to the football gods that he wouldn't do anything stupid, and then connected to Skype.

"Edward!" There was no hiding the utter joy in the word and the grin on his goofy face.

"Jasper. Guys, this is Jasper. Jasper, this is Paul, Sammy, Colin and Brady." I showed him each individual before placing him on the coffee table.

"Hi!" Jasper waved at them all. "Emmett will be here in a minute. You need to connect the chief."

Christ. Reed Girl owed me like five blowjobs for agreeing to this. I pulled up Charlie and added him to the call. He answered extremely eagerly, and I bit back a sigh when I saw that he was wearing my Giants jersey. He didn't look anywhere near as good as his daughter did in it.

"Edward! How are you, son? How's your arm? Are you ready for the season? You looked great on Thursday night!" It all came out in one quick breath.

"Hi, Charlie. I'm all good. These are a few of my teammates." I took him through the intros, and his eyes got really wide when he saw Paul and Sammy. "Guys, this is Bella's dad, Charlie."

They said hellos and went back to perusing their devices.

"Hi, Chief!" Jasper grinned. "I almost wore that exact same jersey, but then I decided it looked better on Bob." Oh, fuck no. But yes. The next thing I knew, Bob the bear was filling the screen, wearing a little version of my jersey.

"Would you put that thing away?" I hissed.

"Fine." Jasper looked all sulky about it, but he did. Of course, it was already too late. My teammates were looking at him as if he were some sort of mental case. Which, of course, he was.

"I'm so excited. I've never played before!" Charlie was flipping through several stacks of magazines. "Look, Edward, there you are!"

Fucking hell. "Yeah, it's pretty cool, Charlie."

"And Sammy, you're ranked pretty high here. And you too, Paul. I was going to take Percy, but maybe I'll take one of you." Charlie looked positively giddy that he could draft one of my teammates. "Edward, you'll throw a lot to whichever one I take, won't you?"

I snorted as they all stared at me.

"Dude, draft me! Then you'll throw to me more," Sammy begged, making us all laugh.

"Fuck that noise. I'm not taking any of you losers."

They flipped me off, and I laughed.

"Damn right you're not." Emmett leaned in front of Jasper, pointing at me through the iPad screen. "Rule number one, no Giants players get to draft Giants players. You have insider information."

I rolled my eyes. "And you'll be begging me for that insider information every week when you set your lineup."

"Of course I will. It's my right as your big brother." He grinned. "Hi, guys. I'm Edward's older, more handsome, and much more talented brother."

"He's also a lot dumber, so you'll likely get a win when you're up against him," I supplied helpfully.

"Fuck you. I'm serious, though. No taking yourselves."

That was fine with me. "I'm cool with that. Guys?"

There were some grumbles but everybody agreed.

"Okay, everybody log in."

I connected to and grinned when I saw I was second to draft. So much I could do there. I could take Manning if he didn't go one, or I could take any of the big running backs. Charles kicked ass last year, but so did McCoy with that fast-paced Eagle offense. Decisions, decisions. Then again, the Eagles were the enemy. Did I really want to root for a divisional foe? I shouldn't have played this year, but it was tradition at this point.

"Who in the hell is Gordon's Ganja Guru?" Colin asked, laughing at the screen.

Jesus fucking Christ. "Damn it, Jasper."

"What? He clearly needs me. He keeps failing tests! I could help him out!" Jasper nodded sagely.

"Don't you even attempt it, jackass. I'll tell Coach to test you every week."

"I'm not! I've been clean for ages. The only weed I've handled was for-" he broke off and looked around guiltily "-a friend."

I narrowed my eyes at that. "Are you fucking dealing? I swear to God, Jasper, I'll get Shorty right now and-"

"No! I gave it to my friend for free. It was a present! I would never!"

He sounded so worked up that I dialed it back a bit. "Fine. Just don't do it again. You represent my team now, you're the face of the Noles, and if you do anything to embarrass us, I'll kick your ass myself." Once a Nole, always a Nole. I wasn't going to let him fuck up what I'd built.

"I won't." He smiled. "I'm ready for Saturday! Thank you so much for helping me. I feel better now."

I nodded. "Good. Just remember to watch the safety blitz. Check off to the backs if they bring the heat. You'll be fine."

"Ahem." Charlie's moustache was twitching. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear any of that other part of your conversation."

Fuck, I forgot he was a cop. He never acted like one when I was around him.

"You don't do drugs, do you, Edward?"

He sounded depressed at the very thought of me doing drugs. "I've never touched the stuff, Charlie. My body is a temple."

"Yes, it is," Jasper agreed weirdly. Fucking freak. Thank God he was in Tallahassee and nowhere near me.

"That's good, then. Are you ready for your first game?"

I nodded. "We're getting there. My timing with these two is pretty good." I gestured at my receivers.

"You mean, we make your rookie ass look good," Paul corrected. "His arm is decent."

"I'll show you decent, motherfucker." I chucked one of the throw pillows at him, nailing him in the face as he sputtered and laughed. "Take that."

"All right, boys, we have some drafting to do!" Brady rubbed his hands gleefully.

The clock was ticking down. I pulled my laptop on my lap and got ready.

Rainbow deserted the arm of my chair and hopped on the back of the couch. I watched as she strolled past Paul and Sammy without incident and laughed when her tail whacked Colin right in the face. He spluttered and wiped at his mouth, where he'd gotten a mouth full of fur.

"What the fuck?" he demanded, turning to face her but she'd already hopped safely out of the way.

"She hates you," I told him.

"She hates me, too," Jasper said, still looking fucking sad about it. "Did you try to paint her nails?"

"What? Fuck no." Colin shook his head. "I pissed him off by joking about his girl, and she tried to attack my ass."

"And just what did you say about my daughter?" Charlie asked, sounding all cop again.

I laughed as Colin shifted uncomfortably under his angry gaze. "It was nothing. She seems like a great girl. Woman. Lovely."

"She is. Is that why your lip is swollen?"

Damn right it was.

Colin nodded. "Yeah." He glanced at me. "I had it coming."

"Good job, Edward."

I grinned. "Thanks, Charlie."

"Nice shot, bro! I'm impressed you'd take on a guy twice your size."

"Hey, I'm not that big!" Colin protested.

"Yeah, you are," Sammy told him. "You just ate an entire pie by yourself."

"So? I'll burn it all off next practice! And you ate nearly as much!"

"But look at how svelte I am." Sammy stood and gestured at his body. "You wish you had this body."

I had to nip this shit in the bud. "He wouldn't do me a hell of a lot of good on the line if he had your skinny body. Now, can we draft?" We were under the minute mark.

"Yes! Let's do this!" Paul sat forward eagerly.

"Your team is now on the clock," came through the iPad speakers.

Jasper grinned as he made his selection. I looked to see who I'd have to take off my draft board, but…oh, hell no.

"Dude, is he serious?" Brady asked, laughing at the screen.

"What?" Jasper asked, looking confused at being questioned.

"Damn it, I wanted to take him!" Charlie yelled, getting all red in the face.

"You don't… You can't…" I couldn't even begin to believe those two.

Emmett was laughing his fool head off. "Dude! I thought you wouldn't go until like the seventh round at the earliest."

That would have been a little more accurate. But no. Jasper had taken me with the first pick in the first round of the draft.

I was so dazed that my clock was ticking toward zero, so I quickly took Manning, not wanting to pick between McCoy and Charles. Peyton would light it up like he always did anyway.

"Now that's a worthy pick!" I glared at Colin, who shrugged. "I'm not saying you won't be, one day. But come on, man. You're a rookie! Nobody takes a rookie at number one. I don't care who he is."

"He's my best friend, and I'm supporting him." Jasper gave Colin the finger.

"Whatever, man. It'll be nice to get an easy win when I'm up against you."

"Hey, are you guys even allowed to play fantasy football?" Emmett suddenly asked, looking worried. "I don't want you to be ineligible."

I shook my head. "We can play so long as it isn't for money."

My brother looked relieved. "Oh, that's okay, then. We're playing for tattoos anyway."

I rolled my eyes. He was fucking obsessed with that insane tattoo league that ESPN liked to highlight every year.

"There is no way in fucking hell that I'm getting a tattoo picked out by any of you morons." Not that I was going to lose, mind you, but still. I wasn't agreeing to shit.

"You scared, Eddie? I think you'd look great with a picture of your cat on your chest." Paul nearly fell off the couch, he was laughing so hard at his own stupidity. And of course Rainbow chose that moment to hop up into my chair and wedge herself partly on my lap, squishing between my laptop and the side of the recliner.

Like fucking hell. Rainbow rocked, but no. "And you'd look great with a giant tattoo of DeAngelo Hall. He is the one who owned you last year, isn't he?"

Everybody laughed as Paul straightened up and scowled at me. "Okay. No tattoo."

"Aww, man." Emmett looked like he was about to cry.

"Imagine Blondie's face if she saw the heart tattoo with some other girl's name on your chest, because that's what I'd make your stupid ass get for coming up with the idea in the first place."

He actually paled and visibly blanched. Ha! I fucking win, as always.

"You wouldn't!"

I raised an eyebrow, and he knew I wasn't fucking around. "Bella wouldn't let you."

He was probably right, but I sure as fuck wasn't admitting that now. "She asked me to get this league together, so she owes me." Ten blowjobs now that Jasper had taken me in the first round and made us both look ridiculous.

"Fine. No tattoos. But it would have been awesome."

I let Emmett sulk as the draft went on. The big backs were flying. Colin pumped a fist when he selected McCoy.

"At least now when the Eagles run all over our D, I'll benefit from it." He lifted his bulk off the couch. "Where's the bathroom?"

"First door on your right," I told him, pointing down the hallway.

Rainbow stood, and I swear she gave a happy little tail swish as she jumped off my lap. Colin started toward the bathroom, and suddenly, she darted between his feet. He lurched and his arms pinwheeled comically as he crashed to the floor. There was a moment of silence before everybody started laughing their asses off.

"What happened?" Emmett, Jasper, and Charlie all demanded since they couldn't see that part of the room.

"What the fuck?" Colin bellowed. "She fucking tripped me!"

Charlie snickered then. "Like with Riley?"

I gave him a nod as I scooped a triumphant Rainbow up when she came running my way, no doubt looking to me for protection if Colin decided to retaliate against her.

"Good job, Rainbow." Charlie nodded with approval before selecting Lynch with his pick. "If I can't have you, I'm getting Seahawks," he told me. Of course he was.

Colin stood, scowling at Rainbow and me. She was purring in my arms, proud as she always was when she deployed her fuckery on those who had it coming.

"She did that shit on purpose?" he asked, sounding like he didn't believe it.

"I told you she's smart as hell. You pissed me off, which made her hate you. You're lucky that's all she did."

His eyes narrowed even further. "She's lucky I don't hurt animals. I'll have to get you back, somehow."

"I'd say we're about even, all things considered." Not really. All I'd ever done was punch him. He'd been an asshole since I'd arrived at camp.

"Gotta earn your stripes, Rook." He shook his head and headed toward the bathroom.

"He's gonna do something to piss me off, isn't he?"

"More than likely." Brady shook his head. "Don't take it personally. He's testing you."

"And since I punched him in the face, I guess I failed."

"Like hell you did. Anybody insults my daughter; you go ahead and punch them. I'll make damn sure you're never charged," Charlie promised.

"Thanks, Charlie."

Colin came out of the bathroom and smiled. "So, are we drafting or what, bitches? Let's get this done."

I wasn't sure what had made him so fucking happy, but I wasn't going to waste my time worrying about what he was up to. The draft continued mostly without incident. Jasper drafted Josh Gordon in the fourth round, completely wasting a pick since he was suspended for the year, but told us that he did it in solidarity with his pot-loving brother. Fucktard. He killed me.

We had a good time trading insults and giving each other shit and I was pretty sure everybody had fun.

After the draft was over and I was finally rid of everybody, I headed toward the bedroom. It had been a long fucking night. Before I could reach it, though, a disgusting odor hit my nose. "Motherfucker!" I ran into the bathroom, and sure enough, my toilet was completely clogged with Colin's nasty shit and a bunch of toilet paper. Fucking asshole.

"You should have scratched the shit out of him," I told Rainbow. "I don't know how yet, but he's going to pay." I'd figure it out, eventually. For now, I had a fucking toilet to unclog. Fuck this noise. Reed Girl should totally let me have anal for dealing with this shit. Literally. It was the least she could do. Not that I was going to say that. She'd have my balls, and not in the good way.

"This is why it's better when it's just us," I told Rainbow. "Everyone else fucks things up."

She clearly agreed with me, rubbing against my ankles as I assessed the mess.

"Fuck it. Let's call maintenance. They can take care of it." I'd give them a big bonus. "Come on. Let's go plot against Colin."

I had no doubt if she could talk, Rainbow would have an epic idea. She was crafty like that. But I would figure something out. I always did.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N Happy Football Day! I'd add Happy Daylight Savings Time Day as well but since I hate it (and I've been awake since 5 AM), I refuse to do so. Stupid time changes. I'll be off all week, just you wait and see! Sorry, mini-rant but my hate is strong :)**

**I got nominated for some awards at twifandomawards dot blogspot dot com.  Thanks for the noms and head over to vote for your faves and find new faves. Great way to find great stories you may have missed!**

**So, the Auburn/Ole Miss game was great yesterday. Ole Miss had it won except for those two crucial fumbles at the goal line. That was insane. And GA choked against UF. I'm sure my Gator girls are happy anyway. My morons are trying their best to kill me but the joke's on them. I don't watch when they play like crap in the first half so I'm not freaking when they come back in the second. If they choose to start playing the first half of games they might actually repeat as champs. I feel like I have a whole team of Jaspy's getting high for the first half and then sobering up in the second. Perhaps that is the case...**

**My fantasy teams run the gamut from 8-0 (Team Watt's Up Cock? Thank you JJ, baby) to 1-7 (Team Moist Foles, a nod to that word we all hate in fic, I guess since I used hated word in the name I'm being punished, but it still makes me laugh). Team MF is the team with 3 Eagles (eyes my Eagles fans, girls, make your team get their shit together!).**

**So, a little something (or someone) many of you have been wanting awaits! See you next week with more! Have a great week and Happy November (and happy end to the political ads in a few days! I cannot wait!)**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 8

Why was it the one fucking day that I wanted to go home early, the day dragged ass? I was in another interminable meeting, watching the clock and pretending to listen to Coach go over the same shit we'd already discussed about three thousand times. I was ready. He knew that. And right now, the only thing I could concentrate on was the fact that I should have been out the door an hour ago.

"You have someplace more important to be, Cullen?" he asked, glaring at me.

Fuck. Guess he noticed that my mind was elsewhere. "No. Of course not."

He laughed, the asshole. "Your girl is waiting for you, isn't she?"

"She should be." I wouldn't know for sure since the one time I'd taken out my phone to see if she'd sent a text, he'd given me the evil eye and threatened to start Montoya instead of me.

"And you're anxious to get home to her."

No shit, Sherlock. Wisely, I kept my mouth shut and nodded. I wasn't going to get myself benched for the first game of the year. My debut. Edward Cullen, New York Giant. Fucking awesome.

"What do you do if they show a safety blitz on third and short?"

I blinked at his abrupt change of the subject. "Check down to Jennings."

He nodded and shot ten more questions at me. I answered each one to his satisfaction.

"You'll do. Don't let your girl keep you up too late tonight. I expect you in by eight to go over some more tape."

Eight? It was better than the six or so I'd been expecting. "I'll be here."

"Good. Get out of here. I'd tell you to have a good night, but I don't think that'll be an issue."

No, it most certainly wouldn't. I was out the door in a flash and nearly to my car when I heard my name being called. A-fucking-gain. Hell no. I glanced over and saw that Heidi was waving at me furiously, her car a row over from mine.

I gave her a half-assed wave and unlocked my car. Before I could get in, her hand landed on my back, and I quickly shrugged it off before turning to face her.

"What do you want?" I asked, in no fucking mood to be nice to her persistent ass. Hadn't I made it perfectly clear last time we talked that I was taken? What would it take to knock it into her head?

She stepped back, no doubt surprised at my phrasing, but I really couldn't bother to give a shit.

"My car won't start, and I was hoping you could take a look at it…"

Was she fucking serious? "What in the hell would make you think I know shit about cars? I know how to call a tow truck, and so do you, I imagine."

"Wow." She blinked and took a step back. "You don't have to be so mean about it. I just thought I'd ask since I saw you."

Fuck. "Sorry. It's been a long day, and I need to get home."

"Are you worried about tomorrow? You're going to be great, you know."

I smiled at that. "I'm never worried about what happens on the field." Only what happens off of it.

"We're all really excited to have you here. You're talented, handsome, smart, and extremely marketable. Making you the face of the Giants for the next decade or so is going to be a pure pleasure."

Was I imagining shit, or had she purred those last couple words?

"Right. Well, anyway, I have to go. Good luck with your car."

"Would you be able to give me a ride?"

Nope, clearly wasn't imagining it. She was leaning toward me with that hungry look in her eye again. Fuck this noise.

"Sorry. I'm headed home to give my fiancée one instead."

Her mouth fell open in a surprised "oh." I got in my car and drove away, leaving her standing there. Maybe it was a dick move, and maybe she really just wanted a ride, but I really didn't have the time or energy to deal with her either way. My girl was waiting for me, and nothing and nobody was keeping me from her a moment longer.

Xoxoxoxoxo

I flung open the door and practically ran into the room, calling her name. "Reed Girl? Baby? Are you here?"

"In the living room, baby!" a deep male voice answered. Fucking hell. What was he doing here?

I turned the corner and came to a stop when I saw my whole family sitting in the living room, along with my Reed Girl. I shot her a look, and she shrugged and mouthed _sorry_ at me. Fucking hell, what was this?

"Why are you here?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"Real nice, son." Dad came over and gave me a hug before turning Mom loose on me. She smothered my face in kisses and cooed over how much she'd missed me and how I didn't call enough. Fucking hell. I was supposed to already be naked and buried in Reed Girl, not surrounded by family.

I finally escaped Mom's clutches, and then my arms were around the right person. I buried my face in her hair and inhaled her scent. Her pillow had stopped smelling like her and I missed it.

"It wasn't my idea," she whispered in my ear. "Your mother called, and…you know how it is."

Yeah, I did. My mom was a force of nature. I'd been surprised when none of them indicated they'd be here for my first game, but since Reed Girl was going to be, that was all that mattered.

"Yeah, I know." And then I brushed my lips over hers and she sighed and melted against me, and that was all it took. I crushed her to me and kissed her like my life depended on doing so. And maybe it did. Four weeks was entirely too fucking long since I'd had her in my arms.

"Can't you wait until we get to the hotel before you inhale her face?"

I flipped Blondie off rather than respond to her.

"Edward Anthony Cullen!"

Shit, Mom was in lecture mode. I reluctantly broke apart from Reed Girl and turned to her. "What?"

"You don't treat your family like that. We came to see your game."

"Don't look at me. I came to see that new housekeeper of yours! Is she here?" Emmett rubbed his hands with glee, and Blondie smacked the back of his head. "Ow! I just wanted to see her technique, Rosie! Maybe you could get a few pointers."

"If you think I'm going to clean the house for you, let alone clean it topless, you're a bigger moron than I ever knew. Have you scanned his brain for permanent damage?" Blondie asked Dad, who laughed and shook his head.

"He was that way before football, I'm afraid."

"Yes, Emmett rarely thinks at all," Mom supplied sourly, glaring at my brother. Clearly, she still hadn't forgiven him for eloping.

He sulked and looked at the floor. Fucking hilarious.

I sat in my chair and pulled Reed Girl into my lap. I didn't give a damn if my family had flown all this way to see me; I wasn't going to stop touching her. And smelling her. Fuck, she was awesome. Of course, Rainbow hopped up and sat on the arm next to me. All was as it should be, minus the infiltrators in the room.

"So, you all came to see me play, huh? This is a nice surprise." And it was. I just didn't really want to see them right now. Tomorrow was soon enough.

Emmett snorted. "You're such a liar. You can't wait for us to be gone so you can fu-"He winced when Mom smacked him. "Ow! I was going to say fondle!"

"That's not much better, doofus," Rose told him.

"I'm sure your brother is quite happy that we've all come to see him." Mom shot me a look that let me know that I damn well better be happy.

"Of course I am. You always go to my games. It wouldn't feel right without you." That was the truth. My parents had never missed even one of my games. Well, Dad had a time or two because of emergencies, but Mom was always there.

"I'm so excited! My son, an NFL quarterback! All those practices and games over all the years actually paid off." My mom was practically vibrating with joy. She reminded me of Shorty.

"Thanks, Mom." I didn't really want to get all emotional about it and shit, but I did appreciate all she'd done for me.

"You're more than welcome, baby. We're so proud of you; aren't we, Carlisle?"

Dad was looking out the window, taking in the view. "We are. This is an incredible place, Edward. You did well."

I squeezed Reed Girl. "Thanks. Bella had the final say, though. She did well."

She laughed. "We found it together. Our first real home."

Her eyes teared up a bit, and I hurried to kiss her. I didn't want her all sappy. I wanted her hot and bothered. As such, I slipped one of my hands between her thigh and the cushion and started to stroke her. She let out a soft moan and shifted on my lap.

"And now that you have a house, and real jobs-"

I held up a hand before my mom could continue. I knew where that conversation was headed.

"Wait. You heard back from them?" I demanded, turning Reed Girl to face me.

She bit her lip, and then a big smile broke over her face. "Yesterday. I wanted to tell you in person."

"Baby, that's awesome! I knew they'd want you. They'd be stupid not to." I kissed her hard. "We should go celebrate or something, shouldn't we?"

Reed Girl shook her head. "We're not going anywhere. The game starts in about an hour."

Holy shit, I'd forgotten. Jasper's debut as starting quarterback. "Is he ready?" His paranoid ass had called me just about every day this week. I kept assuring him he'd be fine, but I wasn't there to see.

Emmett nodded. "Yeah, he looks pretty good. He tends to throw the ball away a little too quickly if he sees pressure coming, but at least he isn't doing anything stupid like chucking the ball as he gets sacked." He waggled his eyebrows at me, and I flipped him off.

"That was my first preseason game. I haven't made that mistake again." Nor would I. Coach would have my fucking ass.

"Yeah, we figured we'd order in and watch the game for a bit. Then we'll head out to get Charlie and go to the hotel."

"Your dad's coming?" I asked Reed Girl.

She laughed. "Did you think he'd miss it? He couldn't get an early flight, but he'll be there tomorrow, cheering you on with the rest of us."

That was really kind of nice. "Cool."

"And of course Jasper and Alice wish they could be here. They'll be at the Jacksonville game in a couple weeks," Blondie told me.

That was going to be awesome. Edward Cullen, returning home as the conquering hero. I couldn't fucking wait. Plus, the Jags sucked ass. That was going to be an easy win.

"Awesome."

"Now, as I was saying, since you've both got a house and jobs, it's time that we discuss the little matter of your wedding." Mom reached down and pulled a huge-ass binder out of her giant purse. "I've done a little preliminary research-"

"A little? It looks like you robbed a wedding planner." Mom shot me a look, so I shut my mouth. But really, that shit was insane.

"Well, seeing as both of my sons got engaged recently, I thought that I'd have two weddings to help plan."

If Emmett could disappear into my couch, he totally would right now. He was hunched up in a little ball under the heat of Mom's gaze.

"Now, Esme." Dad patted her back. "What's done is done. The kids are happy. You should be happy for them."

"I'm sorry, Esme." Blondie looked like she wanted to cry. "The opportunity presented itself, and we didn't think about how upset you'd be."

"Oh, Rose, I'm not mad at you. We both know that it was Emmett's idea. You don't have to cover for him. I'm thrilled that you're part of the family." Mom hugged her.

Rose pulled back, beaming. "I'm so glad you're not upset with me."

"Of course I'm not. You're not my boneheaded son. He knew how badly I wanted to see you two married. We discussed it plenty over the past year."

"Aren't we talking about Edward's wedding?" Emmett asked, sounding desperate.

Damn, it had been fun to watch him squirm. But now all eyes turned to us.

"Well, clearly we aren't getting married until after the season is over." We had time, right?

Mom rolled her eyes. "Obviously, Edward, but it takes time to plan a proper wedding. If you want to get married before next season, we need to book the venue right now. Even that might be difficult, but we'll find a way to get it done." That was Mom's way of saying we'd bribe the fuck out of somebody if necessary.

"Now, Bella and I have talked about it a little bit, but nothing has been decided." She walked over and put the hundred-pound book in Reed Girl's hands. I swear, she could barely hold it. "To start, I've subdivided the folder into locations. There's New York, of course, and Tallahassee, since that's where you met, Washington, and home. Under each location, there's subheadings for churches, important venues, landmarks, and parks."

Jesus fucking Christ. My head was spinning. I looked at Reed Girl, who was holding the book away from her body like it was a bomb. I had to nip this shit in the bud.

"Mom, it's cool that you went to all that trouble. And I swear we'll try to set a date in the next couple of weeks, but I have a lot of sh…stuff on my mind right now. I've watched about a hundred hours of game film in the past week. I kind of need to have my mind clear for tomorrow, you know?"

"Thank you," my girl whispered under her breath.

"Okay, but you don't have too long," my mother told us, taking that wedding bible away, thank fuck. It wasn't that I was against figuring out the wedding shit. But having locations and subheadings and what not? I couldn't begin to focus on that crap.

I looked at Reed Girl. "Do you want to get married in Tally where we met, or here, where we'll be living? Or do you want to fly to an island and get married on the beach at sunset?" Where in the hell that idea had come from was beyond me, but every single female in the room let out a gasp of delight. I was only concerned with one female, though.

"That sound good to you, baby?"

She kissed me soundly. "God, yes. We can have just our little group of friends and parents, and it'd be perfect."

"Done. Mom can start a fat new binder for location weddings."

"It's called destination weddings," she informed me primly, like I gave a shit. She started typing shit into her phone.

Reed Girl looked a bit overwhelmed at the idea of another binder. "Then Bella and I will rip a page out, and that'll be our place."

She giggled while my mom looked horrified at the very idea. "But…there's so many things to consider. Accommodations, venue, availability…"

"Then you'd better get busy with your research and have it in tip-top shape because that's what we're doing."

Reed Girl shook her head. "We'll look it over, I promise."

My ass. But my mom looked slightly less insane, so I let it slide. She got a pen out of her bag and started making notes about something or other and muttering to herself while the rest of us settled in to watch the Noles.

It was hard as fuck to watch someone else, even Jasper, quarterback my team. I literally felt my fingers itching to get my hands on the ball, especially when his first couple of passes were pressed and he looked shaky. I couldn't stop myself from firing off a text or two to him, knowing he'd probably look at his phone at halftime.

_Call your play, do your drop, set your feet, take a breath, and then throw. You have this._

_Watch your check down. Stevens has been open every single time. Get the ball to him and let him make some plays. It'll get the DBs questioning where the ball is going to go, and they'll lose a step on Gibbs and Denard._

_Be smart. You got lucky that didn't get picked. Gibbs was blanketed by the DB and the safety was right fucking there._

Reed Girl stayed on my lap the whole game, stroking her hands through my hair, smiling every time I cursed and sent Jasper another message.

"What?" I asked when she giggled at my latest one.

"You are too cute. I love that you're coaching Jasper up. It's going to make his day when he sees those texts."

Ugh. She was right. "Well, he keeps texting during mine. Of course his are crappy and stalker-like. _'I'm watching you.'_ He should be in a horror movie."

Everyone laughed at that.

"Seriously, bro, he idolizes you. You made his day when you went over game tape with him." Emmett grinned. "If he didn't have a fiancée, I'd tell you to watch out."

"Yeah. Yeah." We were up 17-10 at the half, which wasn't nearly enough in my book. It was weird, watching a college game. College had been so fucking easy. I'd never lost a game. And while I'd known going in that the NFL was going to be a real challenge, it was jarring just how different it was. When you were playing against the best of the best, week in and week out, you found out just how much you had to learn. Not that I was admitting that shit out loud to anyone other than Reed Girl.

Our food arrived, and we were chowing down when my phone buzzed with an incoming text. Reed Girl handed it to me, laughing at what she saw.

_You're watching me! Do I look good?_

What the fuck was wrong with that fool?

_I'm watching the game, not you. And if you're asking about your form, you're dancing around too much in the pocket. Plant your feet and throw. Just like in practice._

"And here I thought I had to worry about PR ladies and Jersey Shore girls," Reed Girl said, laughing at me.

"You don't have to worry about anything." I threw my plate on the table and kissed her. "You're it for me."

"I know, but I don't like that pushy Heidi." I winced at that name, and her eyes narrowed. "What? What did she do now?"

I shrugged, because I honestly didn't know if I was reading too much into what she'd said. "Nothing really." I grabbed a bread stick and stuffed it in my mouth, while Reed Girl continued to give me a knowing look. "Sheaskedmeforaride," I murmured around the bread.

Reed Girl took the stick and pointed what was left at me. "What was that? I couldn't understand you."

Fuck. I finished chewing. "On my way out today, she said her car wasn't working and asked me for a ride."

"What kind of ride?"

How much did I fucking love that my girl was always on the same wavelength as me? Emmett hooted at the question, while Blondie glared, my mother tisked, and my father just grinned.

"I didn't bother to find out. I told her that my fiancée was waiting at home for a ride and she should call a tow service."

Reed Girl's irritation faded right out of her face as she laughed and kissed me again. Fuck yes. I got it right. I always did with her.

"Edward! Really? What kind of thing is that to say?" My mother tried to keep her fierce look on, but I noticed her lips twitching before she shook with laughter. "Carlisle, our son is too much like you for his own good."

"I think being like me has gotten him in the perfect place," Dad said smugly.

I couldn't deny that shit, not when my eyes landed on the laughing girl in my arms. "I just told her the truth. But then you were all here cockblocking me," I grumbled, making them laugh again.

Dad said, "Sorry," while Mom smacked the back of my head.

"There are some things a mother doesn't need to hear."

Damn it. "Sorry, Mom." But I wasn't. Especially when Jasper got his shit together and the Noles were up by three TDs heading into the fourth quarter.

My family decided that they needed to hit the hotel, and after another round of hugs, I finally had my girl alone.

"Thank fuck," I told her when we closed the door, before I pressed Reed Girl against the wall and got my hands on her perfect tits.

She kissed me back before gently nudging me aside.

"What?" I asked, following her into the living room.

"Nothing. We have all night, don't we?"

Fuck yeah we did. "So, we should get started," I suggested hopefully.

She shook her head and sat on the couch, picking up Rainbow and cuddling her to her chest. Fuck. Something was wrong.

"What's the matter?" I sat next to her, and put my arm around her.

"Nothing, really. It's just hard, you know? I'm down there, and you're up here, and beautiful women are throwing themselves at you. I mostly deal with it, but I hate that she works with you and can see you every day."

I pulled her back onto my lap, turning her so she was facing me. Rainbow seemed to like that, rubbing up against both of us.

"First, I don't see her every day. I avoid the fuck out of her. And you know you have nothing to worry about, right?"

She nodded, but her big brown eyes looked sad. "I know. I just miss you. And I hate that she won't leave you alone."

"Do you want me to get her fired?" I totally would. They had to value me more than they valued her, right?

She laughed and shook her head. "No. I just wish-"she broke off and fiddled with her engagement ring.

"What do you wish?" I asked, brushing her hair out of her face. I'd do anything she asked. I hated to see her sad. And admittedly, she'd put up with more than her fair share of shit when it came to women hitting on me, from the time we'd first gotten together right through PR bitch.

She held up her hand, wiggling the finger with her engagement ring on it. "This acts like a deterrent, you know? Guys look at me"-Who the fuck looked at her?-"and talk to me"-again who the fuck were these guys?-"but they see this and they tend to back off without me even telling them I'm taken."

I was having a hard time focusing on anything beyond the fact that guys were hitting on her. "Who are these guys?" I'd have to get her a bodyguard or something, someone to scare the fuck out of anybody who thought of looking at her.

Reed Girl raised an eyebrow. "What? You think I'm not attractive to other men? Am I ugly?"

She knew that shit wasn't at all what I meant. "You know you're not. But you're mine."

"And you're mine. I want people to know that."

"I tell everyone," I assured her, because I fucking did. I talked about her all the time like the pussy-whipped asshole that I was.

"I know." She turned her ring again and shrugged. "I just hate being away from you, is all. I'm sorry I got weird about it."

I took Rainbow and set her aside before cupping my girl's face in my hands. "I hate being away from you, too. So fucking much. But you never, ever have to worry about the PR chick or anyone else. You're it for me."

"You're it for me, too," she murmured before leaning forward to kiss me.

I felt her ring brush against my scalp as she tangled her fingers in my hair, and inspiration struck. I pulled back and grinned at her. "Why don't I wear a ring?"

She blinked before a bright smile stole over her beautiful face. "You'd do that? Even though we're not married yet?"

I didn't give a fuck. If it made her happy and maybe deterred a persistent bitch or two, I was all for it. "Of course."

"I love it! I'll get you one tomorrow before the game."

"One less thing to plan for the wedding," I told her, standing and starting to carry her toward the bedroom. I had to stop when she yanked my shirt over my head and spread her hands over my chest.

"I think you're getting even sexier," she murmured, before latching onto my neck with her lips. "Thank you for putting up with my crazy."

It was true. My muscles were even more defined now, with all the lifting and strength training. "They work me hard." I squeezed her ass. "And your kind of crazy is the perfect kind for me."

She laughed and tightened her thighs around my waist. "Why don't you work me hard right now?"

I didn't need to be told twice. I gave us both the workout of a lifetime that night.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N Happy Football Sunday!  Yesterday was another nutty day in college football.  *waves a happy goodbye to Notre Dame, wonders who they're going to blame this loss on*  Sorry, been hearing about how they got robbed in the FSU game, so I'm a little amused now.  Also, Auburn is out of the playoff picture for now, though if they beat Bama, who knows?  Gotta love the questions swirling right now.  Best thing about college football by far, how much can change week to week.  What's not changed?  The fact that my team is just cruising along, not looking like they're even trying.  The Miami game scares the hell out of me next week, as does every game they have left.  I think they're all on Jaspy's best stuff this year, not a worry in the world, except for their fans.  Sigh.**

**I must give a little shout out to my Jags fan!  I didn't mean any insult to your team and as a Bucs fan, I feel your pain.  At least the future looks bright for you.  You have your own Edward Cullen to build around, and several nice receivers, plus Denard, to look forward to, unlike my team of has-beens and never-weres.  Yeah, there will be growing pains this year but at least you've got some pieces in place.  Give them a year of seasoning and nobody will be making fun of them anymore.  Unlike my team.  Who sucks ass.  And plays Atlanta today who beat them by like 40 earlier this season.  So exciting.  You can see why my fantasy teams hold more interest for me.  Anyway, smile!  Good things ahead!  Edward will happily crap on every team he plays, you know this.  It's who he is :)**

**Starting this fantasy week in a hole thanks to the craptastic performance by the Bengals on Thursday night.  AJ Green got something like 1.8 points.  Truly lovely.  Here's hoping my other players step up to pick up the slack!  I hope your teams are doing well.  I had to change the name of team Moist Foles after he went down last week, so my worst team is now Palmering the Cobb.  Yes, you all know my team names are perverted whenever possible.  I think Edward would appreciate that.**

**I'm long winded today!  I'll shut up and let you get to it.  Have a great week ahead, enjoy the games, and this game, and I'll see you next week!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 10

It was here. Finally. My first official game as an NFL quarterback. All the years of throwing, lifting, and working my ass off had come to this. It was the single most important game of my life thus far and would be until I played in my first Super Bowl. This was the start of it all.

Hands wrapped around me from behind, and I smiled when a warm, naked body pressed against mine.

"Is this what you do when I'm not here? Stare at yourself in the mirror all day?"

I chuckled and raised her hands to my lips, brushing each one. "Well, you have to admit, it doesn't get much better than this."

Reed Girl laughed and bit my right shoulder blade. "I admit nothing."

I turned, pulling her giggling self into my arms. "Oh, you'll admit it. I'll make you."

"I'd like to see you try," she challenged, and before she'd even finished the words, I started tickling her. She squirmed and wiggled, her boobs moving with her, twisting and turning. It was hot as hell.

I pinned her to the wall, and she saw the look in my eyes. She licked her lips. "Really? Again? Don't you have a big game in just a few hours?"

"What better way to clear my head than to fuck you until neither of us can think straight?" I asked, already lining myself up with her perfect pussy.

"Well, who am I to mess with your pre-game prep?" she asked with a sexy smile.

Even though I was dying to be inside her, she needed to say it first. "Admit it."

She shook her head. Stubborn, beautiful woman.

"You know it's true, baby. It doesn't get any better than me."

Reed Girl tilted her head to the side. "I don't know. You're going to have to show me first. Then I'll admit it."

I had to concede that she had a great point. Plus, I really did need to get going soon. Why get caught up in semantics when we both wanted me inside her?

So, I propped her against the wall and slid home. She moaned and I felt her tighten around me almost instantly. The way her body responded to mine would never get old. Nor would the way she looked as I moved in and out of her. Her gorgeous eyes stayed on mine as her hips moved forward to meet mine with every thrust.

"Say it," I murmured as I upped my speed. She was close, I could feel it.

"Not yet," she replied, biting her lip as I shifted her a little, hitting that spot that made her moan.

"Say it," I demanded again, tugging on her left nipple gently. Fuck, her tits were magnificent. I loved the way they moved when our hips met.

"Can't." She was breathless now, so close.

It was hard as hell to do but I stopped moving, holding her against the wall.

Her eyes narrowed, and I loved the glare she sent my way. "Don't stop."

"You need to say it." Really fucking fast, or I'd drop my load and she'd kick my ass for leaving her hanging. Hardly how I wanted to start my day.

"You're a prick."

I smiled at her. "Yes, but I'm your prick and you love me."

"I don't know why," she murmured, shifting her hips toward me, seeking the friction I'd taken away.

"You know why. Just say it."

She huffed. "You know, we only have today. You're really just depriving yourself if you stop now."

It was true. My dick was aching. But I wanted her to say it. "All you have to do is say it, baby. Then I'll make you see stars."

She threw up her hands, but fortunately I had a good grip on her. "Fine! You're not completely unfortunate-looking."

I snickered. "That's not quite it. Why don't we try again?" I rolled my hips, and she sighed and let her head fall back. I started sucking on her long, beautiful neck.

Her fingers came up to tangle in my hair. "Okay! You win! I love looking at you. It doesn't get any better."

I lifted my head and smiled, triumphant. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Humph. Shut up and fuck me."

"Your wish is my command." I moved out of her before slamming myself back in. She moaned again, and I fucked her hard against the wall until she was screaming my name as she came around me. I followed quickly after, thankful as hell I'd been able to hold out. Only the fact that I'd come several times during the night had kept me from coming too early.

She smacked me when I let her down, but I just laughed and pulled her in for a hug. "You're wrong, you know."

"I'm never wrong," she muttered against my chest.

"This time you are." I stepped back, and she looked up at me. "Looking at you is even better than looking at myself. Especially when you're naked and moaning from having my cock inside you."

Her eyes darkened. "Even when you're dirty, you still somehow manage to be sweet. I love that about you."

"Being dirty is sweet," I told her, smacking her ass lightly.

She shook her head and started past me toward the shower. "Better get a move on, Champ. You can't be late to your first game. I'd hate to travel all this way to watch you sit on the bench."

I laughed and stepped into the water with her. "I'm going to put on a show for you and make you proud."

She shook her head and lifted her hand to my face. "I already am so proud of you. You worked so hard to get here. I couldn't be prouder, win or lose."

My Reed Girl always managed to make me feel good. "I was talking myself up in the mirror."

She laughed. "I know. You're nervous."

I scoffed at the very idea. "I don't get nervous."

"You didn't in college. This is the NFL. It's harder. You're not going to win every game."

I wanted to challenge that statement, but I knew it was true. Everybody lost a game, except the '72 Dolphins. And even I wasn't delusional enough to fool myself into thinking that we were anywhere near that level.

"I know. But I'm going to do my best." And hopefully we'd win today. I hated the thought of losing to start the season. I'd be raked over the coals.

She kissed me softly. "You're going to be awesome. And I'm going to be right there cheering you on. And after, we're going out to celebrate the fact that you're living your dream." She smiled. "Our dream."

Our dream. I liked that. "I'm going to find a way to win for you."

She shook her head. "Do it for yourself. And your team. You don't have to win for me. You're already my Champ."

I fucking loved when she called me that. "I love you, Bella."

Her arms wound around my neck as she pressed herself against me. "I love you, Edward. And I can't wait to watch you play."

I couldn't wait either. And while I knew she'd love me win or lose, I was going to win for her today. With Reed Girl in my corner, how could I lose?

Xoxoxoxoxoxo

Damn. I'd thought that the preseason games were loud. That didn't compare to the roar that greeted us as we jogged on the field. It felt so wonderfully familiar. It was almost like I'd never left college. Call me jaded, but I'd always assumed NFL fans were somewhat less passionate than college. It sure didn't feel that way today. The crowd energized me. Knowing that my girl and my family were somewhere in the stadium thrilled me. This was home. I couldn't wait to christen it with my first victory.

"It's something, isn't it?" Sammy asked, taking in my expression as we ran to the sideline.

"Feels like home," I told him, making him laugh.

"Yeah, well, not all of us went to championship schools, my man. I didn't get cheered like this back then."

"Beat Joseph a few times, and I promise to keep the cheers coming."

His eyes sparked and he smirked at the challenge I'd issued. "Get the ball near me, and I'll catch it."

"You won't even have to extend your arms to catch my passes," I assured him.

He snickered and smacked my back. "Good. I need to save my reach for the celebratory beer later. Are you joining us?"

I shook my head. "Bella and my family are in town." We'd be celebrating her new job and my win tonight, if I had anything to say about it. And I did.

"So bring them with. Bella's awesome, and we've already sorta met Charlie and your brother."

I snorted at that but then remembered how annoyed Charlie had been with Colin. Had he brought his gun with him? That could be fun. "We'll see."

He nodded and jogged off to chat with the wide receivers coach. I took a minute to myself before heading to my quarterbacks coach.

"Remember, we're scripting the entire first series. I don't care what you see out there. Don't deviate. If the play we've planned isn't there, throw it away."

Fuck. I hated that shit. But I'd do it because I wasn't going to be yanked from my first real game. This wasn't the preseason. This mattered. And win or lose, I'd be the one ending the game.

Coach Coughlin met me on the sideline while we watched our captains head out for the coin toss. "You ready?"

I nodded, watching everyone shake hands. One day soon, I'd be out there for that. JJ Watt's huge form loomed over the coin. I was going to have him on my ass all day. One of the best defensive ends in the league, and I was already matched up with him. That was okay, though. He was great. I was going to be. We'd see who came out a winner in the end.

They won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. I felt a little flutter of something in my stomach as I watched the special team's players line up for the kick. Nerves? Fuck that noise. Edward Cullen didn't do nerves. I was excited. It was finally time.

Embry was in the end zone, and the ball sailed into his hands. He brought it out, juking and cutting until he was brought down at the twenty-four. Seventy-six yards until pay dirt. I took a breath and put on my helmet. Coach looked into my eyes, nodded at what he saw, and smacked my shoulder. I ran out onto the field and hit the huddle. Ten pairs of expectant eyes were on me.

"I-right, Jennings on three," I told them, repeating what the voice over the speaker in my ear said. I knew each and every call on this series.

We lined up, and I pointed out an open coverage to Paul; the safety was shading over to the left side. He shifted, and I wished like hell I was allowed to change the play call. But I didn't. I called for the ball and slapped it into Jennings' hands. He plowed right into the line and managed to pick up three yards before he was brought down by Cushing.

The next play was run all the way again, which I hated, but Jennings got two more yards. Third and five, and I finally got to throw. Sammy got the call, running a short slant. I hit him right in the hands as promised, and he managed to slip right through the linebacker and safety, picking up sixteen yards. We were beyond midfield, and I was pumped.

Jennings got stuffed at the line and words could not express my excitement when the OC changed the call in my helmet. I sent Paul on the post pattern, executed a fake toward Sammy that had the corner bite just enough, and Paul went right by him. My pass hit him mid-stride, and he motored into the end zone. The crowd roared, and I tried to get out from under an irate JJ Watt. I hadn't even felt the hit as I'd let the ball fly.

Colin pulled me to my feet. "Nice throw, kid."

"I'm not a kid." Just because I was a rookie, it didn't make me less of a man than he was.

"Hey, I'm complimenting you. It was a hell of a play."

"Thanks."

I shook off my irritation with him and accepted kudos from my teammates. I didn't have long to celebrate, though, since I had to go over the defense with Coach Morris. He had pictures on his iPad, critiqued my feet and arm, asked me what I saw in the coverage, and seemed satisfied with my answers.

The defense held, and I was back on the field with the ball at the thirty. This time, we bogged down at midfield, when I got pressured by JJ and had to throw the ball away. Coach was there waiting when I came off the field.

"Good throw."

"The pass to Embry? I could have placed it better, but he caught it."

He laughed. "The one you chucked into the stands. You made the right choice." He patted my shoulder and sent me back over to Coach Morris. I had to admit, the compliment felt kind of good.

The Texans managed a field goal on their next drive. Embry got a great return to the forty-four, and I went on a good drive, mixing short passes and Jennings' runs down the field. On second and goal from the four, I rolled out to my right. Sammy made his move in the end zone, and I threw a fade to where only he could catch it. And he did. We were up 14-3 at the half, and the crowd was cheering my name. I saw my number on more than a few jerseys as I ran into the tunnel to head to the locker room. It was awesome.

The second half was more of the same. I dinked and dunked down the field, and we scored another two field goals and a touchdown when Jennings plowed through at the one. Houston got one more field goal and another touchdown, but when the clock struck zero, the final score was us 27, Houston 13. We all shook hands and congratulated each other before heading in to clean up.

I took my shower and followed Coach into the media room. Holy fuck were there a lot of people here. Nearly as many as my championship games. I took my seat and waited for the questions to come.

"Edward, you were seventeen of twenty-five passing for two hundred and twenty-seven yards and no picks. How'd you manage to have such an efficient day?"

I wanted to roll my eyes at that question, but I resisted. Barely. "We had a good game plan in place, and I followed it to the letter."

The same reporter smiled. "You're not exactly known for sticking to the game plan."

I raised an eyebrow. "Was that a question?"

"I'll rephrase. Was it difficult for you to stick to the game plan? There were several instances where receivers were wide open but you checked down to Jennings for the minimal gain. Are they handcuffing you?"

Fucker. I wasn't about to take the bait. "It's not hard to stick to a good game plan. And I wouldn't call playing smart handcuffing." It was, but I wasn't about to say it.

"Coach Coughlin, would you say the play calling was more simplistic since you have a rookie quarterback?"

Was that ratfucker calling me dumb? Because it sure as fuck sounded like it.

"Of course not," Coach replied, shaking his head. "We were playing one of the best defenses in the league, so we put in a conservative game plan that, as you may have noticed, worked. Everybody knows how talented Edward is, and you got to see some of that this game. You'll get to see more as we go through the season. He played smart today, just like I asked him to."

So take that, you limp-dicked asshole.

"You took three sacks today, Edward. You're not used to being touched. Are you healthy?"

"Perfectly healthy. I have a good line, and they kept me upright most of the day." Yes, I was kissing their asses. I knew how the game was played. "I held the ball too long a couple times, and they got to me." I flashed a smile. "The biggest difference between the pros and college is they hit harder."

Everyone laughed at that, and I relaxed. I could do this shit. It was old hat.

When the interviews were over, I hurried out to where my family was waiting. I scooped Reed Girl into my arms and gave her a smacking kiss.

"You were great!" she told me when I released her lips. I kept her in my arms, though, and she wrapped her arms around my waist. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, baby. I'm so glad you were here."

She kissed me again. "You know I'd be at all your games if I could."

Yes, I knew that. And I didn't begrudge her the ones she couldn't make. I knew she'd be there if she could be.

"You were fantastic, Edward!" I braced myself for Charlie's enthusiastic hug. "Thank you so much for letting me see you play!" The stache was practically quivering with excitement.

"I'm glad you could make it, Charlie."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else, son!" He clapped me on the back before releasing me.

I accepted congratulations from the rest of the family as well. Mom was practically in tears she was so happy. Even Blondie was happy and sporting a Cullen 7 jersey. Of course, Reed Girl's looked the best.

"I fucking love seeing my name on your back," I murmured in my girl's ear. Her cheeks flushed a bit at my words.

"It's going to be my name soon," she reminded me, like I needed reminding.

"I can't wait, baby." And I really couldn't.

Her eyes sparkled. "Speaking of that…you meant what you said last night, right?"

I had to grin at her excitement. "Of course I did. I take it you went shopping."

Reed Girl nodded and pulled a blue box out of her purse. I recognized that color. Of course she'd gone to our store. She flipped the lid, and I saw a simple platinum band. It was perfect.

"Do you like it?" she asked, looking a bit nervous. I had to play with her a bit.

"It looks good," I told her, waiting.

"Good." She looked at me, then at the ring, then back again. "Are you going to put it on?"

I scratched my chin, trying to look confused. "Don't you have a question to ask me first?"

The look of confusion on her face was fucking priceless. "What question? You said you'd wear it."

"Sure, but it'd be nice to be asked."

"Asked what?"

Emmett hooted behind my back. "He wants you to propose."

Reed Girl met my eyes, and I grinned at her. "Aren't you going to make an honest man out of me?" I asked.

She laughed. "Like that's possible. But fine. I'll rise to the challenge. Edward Cullen, will you do me the honor of marrying me?" She slipped the ring out of the box and reached for my hand.

"Aren't you supposed to be on your knees when you ask?"

That had my brother choking behind me. And someone smacked me. I wasn't sure if it was my mother or Blondie. Reed Girls' brown eyes were snapping with temper, and I pulled her to me.

"I was just kidding. You know I'm yours." I leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "You know I only want you on your knees for one reason." That got me an elbow to the gut, but she laughed at my horny ass. "Yes, I'll marry you, Bella."

"You'd better," she said, sliding the ring on my waiting finger.

I kissed her again, surprised at how much I loved the feel of the ring on my left hand. Once upon a time, the mere thought of it would have had me running for the hills. Not now, though.

"I love you," I told her.

"I love you, too." She kissed me for all she was worth, and our family cheered.

Mom was crying, of course, and it looked like Charlie might be wiping a tear or two from his eyes. My brother was grinning at me, as was Dad. Blondie smiled.

"Let's go celebrate." I smiled at my girl. "We have to toast Bella's new job."

"And your victory," she added.

"And her making an honest man of you," Emmett added.

I laughed at that. "I'm pretty sure she actually did that two years ago." Reed Girl's eyes teared up at that one. "You made me a better man."

"God, what you do to me when you talk like that." She shook her head, the tears spilling over. "You're everything I ever wanted and never thought I'd get to hold on to."

"You have a great grip, baby." She had to laugh along with me. "And so do I. Makes it impossible to come between us."

She lifted my hand to her lips, kissing my ring finger. "Nobody ever will." She stood on her tiptoes to whisper in my ear. "Let's go celebrate for a bit, and then we'll make sure that there's absolutely nothing between us for the rest of the night."

Fuck yes. It had truly been a perfect day, and it was going to be a perfect night as well. I'd see to that.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N Happy Football Sunday! I'm extremely happy, but surprised, that my idiot Noles are still undefeated this morning. If I actually watched their games this year, I'd have way more gray hair for my awesome hairdresser to cover up. The stress! But I avoid and check scores and it seems to work for both me and them. Yeah, I am superstitious and think I can control the games. hehe You had to know I was a bit nuts after all! You read my stories :)**

**Another undefeated fell yesterday. Sorry Miss State gals! I know it sucks. I don't know about you, but the play calling in the first half baffled me. I think they could have won had they not been so focused on Dak carrying the ball into a stacked line in the first half. At least they came back and made it interesting in the second. The insanity continues and some big rivalry games await, so anything can still happen. I have no idea who the top 4 will be on Tuesday night, and if they'll move the Noles down again for playing only a half of football, not sure how they can when they're the only no loss team along with Marshall, but they may find a way. *shakes head* If I didn't love college football, I'd hate it!**

**I got word yesterday that I had advanced in several categories at the Twificfandomawards dot blogspot dot com site. Voting for round 2 starts today so head on over and vote for your faves. And thank you for moving me along! I think I have 5 different stories nominated which is pretty darn awesome. I am always wowed and thrilled by the love I get from you guys. It's what keeps me going.  
**

**You'll be happy, or won't care, haha, to know that Team Watt's Up Cock managed to win despite Indy's bye week, so still undefeated! However, Team Palmering the Cobb lost, as usual, and I managed to jinx another QB with his name in the title. If you have anyone you need taken out, ask me to add him to that team and it dub it after him. Sheesh.**

**Okay, fun chappy below, I think! I hope you enjoy it and I'll see you next weekend, which will be the start of my week long vacation! So excited! Have a great one!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 11

"Hey, where are you guys heading?" Sammy came up and threw an arm around me, not even caring that I had my arm wrapped around my girl.

"Out," I told him. He didn't need to know.

"Come on, you know you wanna celebrate with your teammates. Let us get to know your girl." He wiggled his eyebrows at Reed Girl. "Unless you're afraid she'll dump your rookie ass for a true star."

Reed Girl just laughed at his stupid ass. "I'm already with one."

I had to kiss her for that, while Sammy awwwed next to us.

"Okay, I know when I'm outgunned." He held up his hands. "But we're going to be…" he trailed off, his eyes bugging out of his head. "Who is that?"

I turned and followed his gaze, which had landed on none other than Blondie. "That's Rose. My sister-in-law." He was looking at her like he was hoping that she'd be on the menu. I didn't give a shit, but my brother would happily kick his ass if he saw the way he was checking her out.

"Bring her," he muttered.

I snapped my fingers in front of his face. "Hello. Perhaps you didn't hear the part where I said she's married to my brother. You know, the big guy who could break you in half if he wanted to? That guy." I pointed at Emmett, who was chatting up Charlie.

"Why are all the hot ones taken?" Sammy asked Reed Girl, finally coming out of his trance.

She laughed. "Because the Cullen boys are amazing at the grand gesture."

I had to grin at that. Mine was far better than his.

"And in bed," she added quietly, making sure that her father didn't overhear.

I snickered. "You forgot to add well-hung, with talented tongues and…" She put her hand over my mouth, so I used said talented tongue to lick her palm.

"Ew! I can't take you anywhere!"

"On the contrary. You can take me anywhere you like. There's a locker room right down the hall, and offices, and the film room," I said, slipping my arms around her waist.

She giggled and stepped into me. "Well, I could use a tour."

"Oh no, you two aren't desecrating our locker room." Sammy shook his head. "I heard all about how you met, and I'm jealous as hell. If you do that in our locker room, I'll never be able to be in there without getting a hard-on, which is kind of uncomfortable in a room full of naked men."

Reed Girl pulled back and raised an eyebrow at me. I shrugged.

"What? It came out when I was explaining how awesome you are."

She laughed and turned to Sammy. "Did he say I was a stalker?"

He grinned. "Maybeeeee. I mean, not if it's going to get him in trouble or anything." He shot me a look and mouthed, "Sorry."

"He's not in trouble. I'm not ashamed of how we met. I wanted him and I got him." Her smile was triumphant, and I had to kiss it.

"You sure did, baby. You schemed and seduced me, making it impossible to get you out of my head." Thank fuck that I hadn't been successful at that. I couldn't imagine life without her. Weeks without her sucked hard enough.

"Just don't tell my dad," she said, making us both laugh.

"I won't tell a soul," Sammy promised, crossing his heart with his fingers. "And if you come to dinner with us, I promise I'll be on my best behavior."

Reed Girl looked at me. "It's up to you. We do need to eat."

"Who's going?" I asked, though I figured I already knew.

"The usual. Paul, Brady, Colin, and me, of course. Maybe a few of the defensive guys. They're rounding up people as we speak."

"Colin?" Reed Girl's eyes narrowed. "As in Colin, who sent a stripper housekeeper to my home and clogged my toilet? That Colin?"

Sammy looked like a deer in headlights at her angry tone. "Uh, yeah? I'm sorry! I didn't know he was doing any of that."

She smiled. "I don't blame you." Then she turned to me. "We're going."

Well, there went ditching the family and taking her home to fuck all night. But from the sparkle in her eyes, it appeared that dinner with my teammates might be fun as well.

"Whatever you want, baby. You know that."

She rose up on her toes and nipped my ear. "I want you. Always. And I'll have you for dessert."

Fuck yes. I squeezed her ass. "To the victor go the spoils," I reminded her, not that she needed reminding.

She laughed. "You've used that line on me after every one of your wins."

"And I'll keep on doing it after every win. You're in for years and years of it."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She kissed me before smiling at Sammy again. "Tell me, does Colin like blondes?"

If he was surprised by her question, he didn't show it. "Who doesn't?"

Her smile widened. "Great. I'm going to go talk to my sister. You and Edward work out plans."

She was off; leaving me wondering what was going through her beautiful head.

Sammy watched her walk away and let out a low whistle.

"Don't whistle at my girl." I glared at him.

"I wasn't, at least not like that." He shook his head. "Do you know how lucky you are to have a girl like that?"

Well, that was a dumb fucking question. "Of course I do. Why do you think I have no interest in the clubs or PR chick or anyone else? Reed Girl is the best."

"Seems like. Also, seems like Colin might be in some trouble." We watched as Reed Girl and Blondie bent their heads together. Fucking awesome. Whatever they came up with, he had it coming.

"He shouldn't fuck with me. My girl is loyal."

He chuckled. "Both of them are, apparently. He's still pissed that your tiny cat took his big ass down."

I laughed. "Rainbow is a menace." I fucking loved that about her.

"She's cool as hell. Why do you get all the good ones?"

I smirked. "Because I'm Edward Cullen."

He shook his head. "Ass. We're heading to Pepe's. See you there?"

I looked at Reed Girl, talking and smiling as Blondie laughed. "Yeah, we'll be there." I couldn't wait to see what those two were up to.

Xoxoxoxoxox

"Are you sure you want to do this?" We were standing outside of Pepe's, and I could already hear my boisterous teammates hooting and hollering inside.

"Yes! It'll be fun!" Reed Girl kissed my cheek.

I caught her hand before she could walk inside. "Are you going to tell me what you're up to? Why isn't Blondie with us?"

"Maybe she didn't want to come." Reed Girl shrugged, trying to look innocent. I knew my girl too well to buy that shit.

"Bellaaaaaa," I wheedled, knowing it was her kryptonite.

"Edward, just sit back and enjoy the show. I can't promise you'll get to see any breasts for this one, but it should be fun anyway."

"The only breasts I want to see are yours."

She kissed my jaw. "Then that you will get. Later. Let's go."

Why the hell not? I got the door, letting her in. My parents and Charlie were en route. And Emmett and Blondie were off doing whatever Reed Girl had asked them to do. I really couldn't wait to see what she had in store.

"Bella!" Sammy shouted, waving his hands when he caught sight of her. "We saved you a spot."

She laughed and headed in his direction. Fucker better have saved me a seat as well, or I'd kick his ass. The group was there, along with Embry, Jennings, JPP, Markwood, Montoya, Castillo, and Abdullah. Quite the audience. This was going to be interesting.

Fortunately for Sammy, there were plenty of chairs. I held out one for Reed Girl next to him, while I slid in between her and Brady. I wasn't letting that moron try to charm her, even if he'd fail spectacularly.

"So, was I awesome or was I awesome?" Sammy asked, making her laugh lightly.

"You made a few nice catches." She smiled at me. "Of course, my Edward made it easy for you, throwing those perfect passes. You barely had to do a thing."

Everyone laughed at that while I slid my arm around her. "That's my girl."

Sammy shook his head, putting a hand over his heart. "You wound me! Surely you know that I made him look good. His passes were just fluttering in the wind, but I snatched them and made them into things of beauty."

"If that's what you have to tell yourself," Reed Girl teased.

"Looks like we found your number-one fan," Brady said with a laugh. "Lucky bastard."

That was true. My girl looked fucking awesome in my jersey and tight jeans that showed her ass off to perfection. I really couldn't wait to get out of here and get my hands on her.

"More like his number-three fan. That weirdo friend of his is number one, and her dad is number two." Colin took a slug of his beer. "You should have seen those two fighting over who got to take him in the first round of the fantasy draft we did. First round! Ha!"

"Well, he had twenty points today. Not bad at all." Charlie came up behind Colin, also in my jersey and his brand new Giants hat. "And if we're going to make fun of picks, good call on McCoy. He got all of five point two."

Colin scowled at that little nugget and got out his phone, presumably to see if it was true. Apparently it was, because he let out a "motherfucker" and slammed it down.

Charlie had been glaring at him but then took a look around the table and his eyes got comically wide. "Oh my God! You're Rashad Jennings! And Jason Pierre-Paul! Can I get your autographs?" And sure as fuck, he took out that little book that Reed Girl had brought to my Heisman ceremonies for him and started passing it around.

I was getting weird looks, so I sighed and waved a hand. "Guys, this is Bella's father, Charlie. Charlie, this is the guys."

"Great game! That sack you got, when you fought off two linemen, was a thing of beauty." And Charlie was off, fanboying at everyone and everything.

Reed Girl leaned into me. "This made his whole year. Thank you for inviting him along."

And just like that, I couldn't be embarrassed about it. My girl was happy that her dad was happy, and that was all that mattered.

"No problem, baby."

I reached with my left hand and grabbed the pitcher of beer. Brady grabbed my arm, stopping me.

"Um, did you get married after the game or something?"

The whole table stared at me. "Or something. My girl got me a present."

"Trying to ward off the groupies, huh? Not a bad idea." JPP nodded at us as he took the autograph book from Charlie.

I was about to respond when Reed Girl spoke up. "It's not about keeping other women away from him. It's just a symbol that we're committed to one another. I wear his ring, and I wanted him to wear mine. It's a solid reminder since we can't see each other every day."

"Shit, like that's gonna stop any of those bitches anyway. That super hot PR chick Heidi practically salivates every time she catches sight of the pretty boy," Colin supplied.

That was it. I was so going to end that motherfucker, throwing another woman in my girl's face. Before I could act, I felt her hand on my knee.

"Who can blame her? He's gorgeous." She smiled at me. "But he's mine, and I trust him. After all, his only reaction to a half-naked woman in _our_ home was to throw her out and call me immediately to tell me about it. He actually felt bad even though _he_ did nothing wrong. He respects me and our relationship. It's not our problem if _others_ can't do the same." She delivered that little speech with a cool smile and a glint in her eyes that was more than a little dangerous. But it was hot as fuck, too.

Colin actually hunched over a bit under her gaze. "It was just a joke. And I didn't expect her to offer him anything. They never do for-" He broke off, but it was too late. The whole table was laughing at him.

"Dude, you pay for chicks to get naked? I just have to smile." Jennings sent us a bright grin.

"Fuck off," Colin muttered. "It was a joke."

Reed Girl just stared at him for several long seconds. "I always thought that hazing stuff ended once you guys became pros. I guess guys take longer to grow up than girls do."

"Well, we're obligated to give rookies a little shit," Sammy told her, trying to come to the rescue as always. "For instance, dinner tonight will be on our illustrious quarterback. We all made him a winner in his first game. It's the least he can do."

I flipped him off, but I didn't give a shit. And the mood at the table lightened considerably, with everyone reliving their favorite plays from the game, talking shit about the Texans, and looking ahead to next week. We all ordered a fuckton of food, and the beer kept flowing.

I was sucking down my awesome pasta dish when Brady suddenly let out a loud whistle. "Holy shit! Do you see that?"

The table got completely silent, and I glanced up to see what all the hoopla was. What the fuck? There was Blondie strolling into the room like she owned the place, wearing a skintight, siren red dress, made up and done up for a night on the town. She walked past our table, hips swaying, her legs looking a mile long because she was wearing heels that had to make her almost half a foot taller.

I nearly opened my mouth, but Reed Girl squeezed my knee under the table again. I glanced at her and she gave a very subtle shake of her head. Whatever her plan was, it was obviously starting with Blondie looking like a high-class hooker.

My teammates all looked a little shell-shocked. Well, the single ones did anyway. The married ones looked away quickly, but it was clear they'd noticed her.

"Hey, isn't that-" Sammy broke off with a grunt suddenly. Reed Girl shot him a look and he clammed up immediately. Ha! She must have kicked him under the table. I fucking loved her.

Blondie made her way over to the bar, sliding onto a stool and crossing her legs before tossing back her hair. She seemed to take no notice of us whatsoever, placing an order with a glittering smile at the bartender.

"Holy shit… What I wouldn't do to her." Colin licked his lips.

"Keep dreaming," Paul told him, standing and putting on a winning smile. "I'm going in."

He walked right up to Blondie, putting a hand on her shoulder and getting out his wallet as he paid for her drink. She gave him a tight smile and shook her head at whatever it was he said. Paul said something else to her, and then she turned her back on him. He stood there like a moron for a minute before coming back to the table.

"Damn, son, that was cold!" Brady was laughing so hard he started choking. I smacked him on the back as Paul sat down, sulking.

"Don't tell me Mr. Smooth actually struck out with a woman." Sammy shook his head. "It's a sad, sad day."

"She said I wasn't her type." Paul looked mystified. "I'm everyone's type."

We all laughed at his utter confusion.

"She probably wants the Pretty Boy," Colin pointed out.

I glared at his stupid ass.

"Maybe. Why don't you go over and take a shot, baby? Show them how it's done?"

I stared at Reed Girl. What the fuck was she playing at? "You want me to go hit on another girl?" Blondie? No fucking thank you. She'd likely hit me just for fun.

She laughed. "No, I want you to school these boys in how easy it is to charm a girl. After all, you got me, didn't you?"

"Yes, but-" She raised an eyebrow at me, so I stopped my argument in its tracks. Whatever she had planned, this was part of it. "Fine."

I got up and walked slowly over to Blondie, making sure to keep my hands near my dick just in case she started swinging or kicking. "Hi," I told her when I reached her. "I have no idea why the fuck I'm here."

Her lips twitched, but she kept her face neutral, since our entire table was watching her. "You're here to be rejected so you can go back and tell your asshole teammate that I said I like my men bigger and stronger than you are."

Well, that was kind of fucking insulting. "Hey. Not cool."

She rolled her eyes. "The point is to get him to come hit on me himself."

"And then?" I asked, because I was fucking sick of being in the dark.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "You'll see. I'm going to swing at you now, so if you don't want to get hit, catch me." Then she raised her voice. "You're married? Fuck off." Just as she'd warned, her hand came at my face. I caught it before she could make contact.

"Where's my brother?" I asked, releasing her wrist.

Blondie kept her glare on. "Putting Rainbow's dirty cat litter in Colin's trunk, where the spare tire is. It'll take him ages to find it."

That was…fucking awesome. I barely contained a grin as I walked back to the table. Reed Girl was giggling, and the rest of my table were laughing their asses off.

"Did you enjoy that, baby?" I asked, pulling her out of her chair and planting a big kiss on her before she could answer. Meanwhile, I flipped Blondie off over my shoulder.

"Well, the ring works," she responded when she could speak again. I pinched her sexy ass and made her squeal.

"Ahem," sounded from the next table over.

I sent Charlie a shrug. What the fuck ever. She was my fiancée after all. Her ass was mine to touch-and sadly, only touch. She'd rejected my anal demands over the fantasy draft trauma.

"Nice job, Cullen." Colin looked positively giddy that I'd gotten fake shut down. That shit was pretty damn annoying, even though Blondie was probably the only girl that ever would have rejected me before Reed Girl came along, thanks to my idiot brother. Not that I wanted her grumpy ass. Not by a long shot.

I slid back into my chair and pulled Reed Girl onto my lap, just as a little reminder that I wasn't interested in Blondie or anyone else. "She likes her men big and dumb." That shit was true, too. My brother fit that description perfectly. "Clearly I don't qualify, except in the big department. I wasn't about to show her, though. Bella wouldn't like that."

"I most certainly wouldn't," Reed Girl agreed. She put a possessive hand on my thigh. "Mine."

"All yours, baby." And I was ready to give it to her. We needed to get this show on the road.

Before I could ask her when shit was going to go down, Blondie slid off her stool and walked over to our table, hips swaying in some kind of sexy move that had most of the table drooling. She walked right up to Colin, sending him a big smile.

"I've been waiting all evening for you to come up and say hi. Were you just sending your friends over to tease me?" she asked in a deeper voice than I'd ever heard from her before. What the fuck?

Colin straightened in his seat, a big smile coming over his face. "You wanted to talk to me?"

Blondie licked her lips and ran a hand over his shoulder. "I wanted to do a lot more than that, honey."

He looked like he might have a heart attack right at the table. I really fucking hoped that wouldn't happen. His backup sucked ass.

"Really?" His voice cracked on the word.

"Of course. I know you can give me what I want."

"You do?" His eyes were huge. "I mean, I can. Of course I can."

"And I'll give you what you want." She dipped her finger into his beer and put it in her mouth, sucking and hollowing her cheeks out. Holy fuck, Blondie was good.

"O-o-okay," he managed to stutter.

"I do have to warn you, though," she said, using the same finger she'd just sucked on to trace the line of his jaw.

"Warn me about what?"

She smiled sweetly. "I've had my final surgery since the last time we were together. So, now the only thing I can put in you is this,"-she waggled that same finger-"and this." Then with the tongue. "But now I have two holes for you to put it in. Won't that be fun?"

Well, holy shit. That explained the deep voice she was using. There were gags and gasps coming from my teammates. Reed Girl was shaking from trying to hold in her own laughter. Colin looked confused and horrified at the same time.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He shook his head. "I don't know you."

"Come on, Colin. You know me better than just about anybody." Blondie looked sad. "It's me, Brandon. Well, Brandy now." She bit her lip. "I thought you'd be excited that we could finally be together as a man and a woman."

"You're lying! She's lying! He…I mean…what?" Colin pointed at Paul and me. "They hit on you, too. Not just me."

Blondie shrugged. "You know they're not my type, baby. You are. Why are you pretending that we haven't been together? Did I mean that little to you?"

"No! I mean, yes! We weren't ever together! I swear!" He was looking at all of us, begging us to believe him.

Blondie glared at him. "How dare you! I'm good enough to blow behind Marquee, but not good enough to introduce to your teammates? Fuck you!" And she flung his beer on him before striding out, leaving all of us staring after her.

Colin was still sputtering. "She's lying. Or he is. Whatever that was! I've never met her in my life."

"She knew an awful lot about you," Paul pointed out.

"Whatever. You hit on her."

"But I didn't know she wasn't a her. Or I guess she's one now. You did. Man…I wonder who her surgeon is."

"I did not!" he yelled, pushing back from the table. "Come on, you know I'm into girls."

"She is one, technically," I told him, making him mad all over again.

"Fuck her. She's lying. And fuck you if you believe her. I don't like dick." And he tore out of the restaurant, leaving us all staring after him.

"Did she get out?" I asked softly, because if he was going after Blondie, I'd have to go out there and save her hilarious ass.

"Yeah, Emmett was waiting," Reed Girl said with a giggle. Then she let out all the laughter she'd contained through the show.

"You're diabolical," I said, kissing her neck while she laughed away. She was so fucking awesome. And all mine. I couldn't be prouder.

"Dude, was that for real? Is Colin into guys?" Jennings made a face. "I mean, not that there's anything wrong with it, but his locker is right near mine."

"Don't be a homophobe," I told him.

Reed Girl shook her head. "No, none of that was real. My friend was trying to teach Colin not to mess with my man and my relationship. Feel free to tease the hell out of him for a while, though, okay?"

JPP let loose a booming laugh, and everybody else joined in. "Count on it! He's going to get a lot of shit."

"I'm buying a bottle of brandy to put in his locker, as a little reminder," Sammy decided. "Bella, you're a little bit evil."

She smiled. "It was fun. He embarrassed Edward, so I embarrassed him. Well, Rose did. I can't take complete credit for it. She was supposed to just reject him hard. She did the man stuff on her own."

Of course she did. Totally Blondie. "No wonder you were practically hyperventilating, trying not to laugh."

"Well, she surprised the hell out of me. Only Rose."

"That was great," Brady said, still laughing. "He's been a dick lately. Maybe having us all think he likes dick will knock some of it out of him."

"Here's hoping," I agreed, lifting my beer to that. Then I grinned at my girl. "You're the best, you know that, baby?"

She laughed. "I do." She leaned forward to whisper in my ear. "Now take me home, and I'll show you just how good I am."

I stood before she finished her sentence, holding her in my arms. "We're out. See you Tuesday. Baby, give my card to Sammy." I'd pay for their food and anything else they wanted if it would get me out the door. She pulled my wallet out of my pants and tossed him my gold card.

I nodded at my parents and Charlie, who all looked a little shell-shocked as I carried Reed Girl past.

She chuckled and kissed my jaw. "In a hurry, are we?"

"To the victor go the spoils, remember? I want my spoils."

"I want mine, too. I defeated an asshole tonight."

She sounded so proud of herself. I stopped at my car and kissed her soundly. "I'll spoil you all night long, baby."

She moaned. "Sounds good to me."

Me, too. It was a perfect day. I'd won my first game. My girl had given me a ring to show the world that I was hers. We'd gotten back at Colin for being such a prick. And I was going to go home and make my girl scream my name all night, which was even better than thousands of fans doing it earlier. Winning rocked.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N Happy Football Day! I can't tell you how sad I am that we're getting into the home stretch of the football season. Why does it go so fast? While hockey, basketball, and baseball go on for months and months, football, my fave, is the shortest. NOT FAIR. Sigh. I guess I'll have more writing time, but still, sucks.**

**I don't want to bog this story down with sadness but I do want to thank all of you who reached out to me after hearing about the shooting at FSU. I'm honored that you thought of me and cared and wanted to reach out. I'm grateful that only a few people were hurt and sorry this is such a common practice in the world these days. Thank you for thinking of me and the students at FSU. We're a resilient sort, as evidenced by our team continuing to pull wins out of their ass (yes, I am still boycotting them and they're still winning, albeit in ugly, unsatisfying ways). I wish all my fellow Noles, some of whom are actually in school now, all the best and hope you're all well.  
**

**Hey! The Bucs won! And since they play Chicago, who knows, they may win again (not a shot at the Bears, well, at Cutler maybe, haha). No, they won't win, but a girl can dream. Although they do this, win some toward the end of the season and take themselves out of prime draft position. Only the Bucs could figure out a way to lose by winning.**

**Sad to report that Team Watt's Up Cock? suffered it's first loss of the season. Thanks Andrew Luck. Sigh. And Jimmy Graham. You've been useless. Saints gals, do something about that guy, will ya? :)**

**Alright, enough yammering. Happy Thanksgiving to all my US peeps, and to all the ones not in the US, eat something awesome this week anyway. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because of the food. hehe So celebrate with us in your own way! So, a little lovin, a little talking and a motivation for behavior revealed below. I hope you all enjoy and I'll see you next week!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 12

"Thank God we're home." I pushed Reed Girl against the door after I closed it. "Do you have any idea how much I wanted you?"

She slid her hands underneath my shirt, squeezing my pecs. "You always do, especially after a game."

That was definitely true. I liked to use all my extra adrenaline by fucking her. The best post-game celebration by far.

"Game or no game," I told her, pressing my lips to her throat. She gave a sexy-ass moan, and I wanted to take her right there against the door. I reached for the button on her jeans just as Rainbow brushed against my legs.

"Damn it."

Reed Girl laughed. "We have all night," she reminded me. That would have made me happy were it not for the fact that she was leaving in the morning.

She bent to pick up Rainbow, who purred and gave her some head butts before turning to me. I rolled my eyes but took her and let her rub all over me.

"I'm only allowing this because your stinky cat litter is cooking in Colin's car as we speak, and that's pretty fucking awesome." Rainbow managed to get more revenge even when she wasn't around the bastard. That's how good she was.

Reed Girl laughed, grabbing my hand and pulling us toward the living room. She nudged me onto the couch. "Take off your shirt."

I raised a brow. "Here?" I asked, setting Rainbow aside. I reached for the treats to distract her.

Reed Girl nodded her head. "Off."

Who was I to argue? I whipped it off and tossed it across the room. My girl just stared at me for a minute.

"Like what you see, baby? It's all yours. You can do whatever you want with it."

She seemed to come out of her daze. "I intend to. Lean forward."

Was she? Hell yes. I leaned forward. She straddled me from behind, and then her hands started working their magic on my neck and shoulders. I let out a long, loud groan that had her chuckling behind me.

"You really are spoiling me."

"That's my job." Her lips pressed against the back of my neck. Fuck, that felt good, especially combined with her hands on me. "I was so incredibly proud of you today."

I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. "You've seen me play before. And better than this, for that matter."

She brushed her lips over my neck. "Yes, but this is the NFL. There are tons of guys who play college football who don't make the pros. And then, those who do are rarely starters from day one, especially at quarterback. But there you were, looking calm and confident just like you always do, leading drive after drive. You didn't let the defense rattle you, even after you got sacked a couple of times."

Her words made me feel all warm inside. "I thought I was cocky." Everyone said so, even though I liked her phrasing better.

She laughed. "You're that, too, but not on the field. Cocky guys try to do too much, and think they can. You know your limitations."

I had to laugh with her on that one. "Can you tell Coach that? Because I really wanted to throw that bomb on the first drive, but I played it his way."

"Which was you not being cocky. Confidence is incredibly sexy, especially when you're playing. Save the cock for me."

I moaned as her hands slipped around my back and found said cock ready and waiting for her. "It's all yours."

"Mmm, I know." She rubbed me a couple times over my pants before moving her hands up my arms, massaging muscles I hadn't even been aware were aching.

"Fuck, that feels good."

She got to work on my shoulder blades. If I hadn't already proposed to her, I totally would have right then, because she was making me feel fucking awesome.

"I've missed having my hands on you."

On that, we were in perfect agreement. "I could say the exact same thing to you. I can't fucking wait until December."

"Me either." She worked my sides before reaching around and tightening her arms around me. "I love you."

My hands linked with hers. "I love you, too, baby."

We sat like that for a few minutes, her lips pressing against my skin, her hair tickling my back. I loved having her wrapped around me, but it wasn't enough. I scooted around so that I could see her. I didn't want to miss a moment of looking at her. Yeah, I saw her every day through FaceTime or Skype, but it wasn't the same as seeing her beautiful face in person, getting to touch her soft, perfect skin.

She smiled as I pulled her onto my lap, both of us sitting sideways with her straddling me. I traced my number seven on her jersey.

"You can't decide whether you want me to stay in it or if you want me naked, can you?" she asked, knowing me all too well.

"I can't help it. You look hot as shit with my number on you, and my name."

"Soon to be my name," she said, her face practically glowing.

"I'd make it your name right now if I could." I meant that shit, too. I'd marry her right now if my mother wouldn't kill me. And if she weren't leaving tomorrow. We were totally having a long-ass honeymoon after all the wedding crap.

"I know." She kissed me softly. "It's enough that you're wearing this." She ran a finger over my ring. "I know I sort of guilted you into wearing it, so-"

Fuck that noise. "Baby, when have I ever done anything I didn't want to do?"

She eyed me. "When you met my father. And my mother. And endured that birthday dinner my mom had for me last year. And Halloween, when Alice and I forced you into that sexy pirate outfit."

I laughed at those memories. "Okay, so some of that shit sucked, but I did it because I wanted to do that for you. And yes, I'm wearing this because you want me to but also because _I_ want me to." I held up my hand, studying the band that sat there. "You know, I used to think one of these was like a death sentence."

She laughed.

"And even when I came around to realizing that it wasn't and that I wanted it with you, I still thought I'd feel weird having a ring on my finger."

"But you don't?" she asked, sounding hopeful.

"Not at all. It should feel weird, right? I mean, I've only had it a few hours. But it's not bothering me. It's like it belongs there." I shook my head. I was such a moron. "Fuck, I sound like a girl."

Reed Girl wrapped her arms around me. "No, you don't. That might have been one of the sweetest things you've ever said to me."

That was probably true. "Romance isn't my strong suit."

She smiled. "I disagree. You give me more than I ever thought possible."

I had to smirk at that. "That's because you thought I was just an egotistical asshole."

"A _hot,_ egotistical asshole," she corrected with a laugh. "And I got a lot more than I bargained for."

"Because you brought it out of me. And I was hot as shit as a pirate."

She laughed. "You were. And I enjoyed being plundered by you."

Fuck, just those few words, and I was aching to be inside her. "Well, prepare to be plundered, wench."

She giggled as I stood up from the couch, carrying her with me. Rainbow, sensing a game ahead, ran around my feet.

"Fuck, no." I detoured to her room, where she hopped on top of her castle, looking all sorts of excited. I hurriedly stepped out and shut her in, ignoring the outraged "meow" that immediately sounded.

"You're mean," Reed Girl said, though she was still laughing.

"Of course I am. Pirates didn't take time away from plundering to hang out with cats."

She raised an eyebrow at me. "I was fully expecting a pussy joke."

I shrugged. After Colin's comments, I didn't want to go there. Not today. "I'd rather lick it than joke about it."

Her breath hitched as I tossed her on the bed. "Well, by all means."

It took me no time at all to have her naked and writhing beneath me as I worked her over with my tongue and hands. I fucking loved the way she sounded when she was at my mercy; her moans were sexy as hell. Her hands were fisted in the sheets and her neck was thrown back in surrender. Hot as fuck.

As soon as she came, I was up and tugging the rest of my clothes off, sliding inside her before she'd even finished convulsing. Hot, wet, perfect. That's how it felt when I was inside her. And when her dazed eyes met mine and I saw everything she felt for me on her face, it was just, fuck, everything. She wrapped her long legs around me, and we found our rhythm. Like always, it was right. Everything about us was right.

Xoxoxoxoxox

The only bad thing about Reed Girl coming to my game was that she had to leave again. This time, my brother and Blondie were taking her to the airport, so we didn't have to say a public goodbye. But this way I got to spend less time with her, which sucked.

"Are you pouting?" she asked as she put on her bra. I admired the way her tits spilled over the bright-blue satin.

"No." But I kind of was.

She walked over and put her arms around my neck, standing on tiptoes so she could reach my lips. "Three more months. We got through the first one okay."

I raised an eyebrow at that, and she laughed. "Maybe okay isn't the right word, but we survived. And you'll see me in just a few more weeks in Jacksonville."

Thank fuck we played the Jags in Jacksonville this year. She'd be riding over with the gang to see me play. I'd already hooked them all up with tickets.

"Is Jasper really coming?" I asked, trying to keep the whine out of my voice.

She laughed. "You know he is. It's a bye week for the Noles, and he can't wait to see you again."

"That's what I'm afraid of," I said.

"I'll keep him from molesting you," she promised, giving me another kiss.

"You'd better." I showed her my ring. "This makes you obligated to keep the crazies away from me, and not just the female ones."

"I take that obligation very seriously." She kissed my ring finger, a happy smile on her face. Who knew my girl would find putting a ring on my finger to be such a turn-on? I should have had her do this shit a year ago. Not that I couldn't turn her on without it, of course.

"Perhaps you should show me how you'll protect me," I suggested, trying to steer her back to bed.

She laughed and twisted away from me, snatching a shirt out of her suitcase before running into the bathroom.

"Your brother will be here any minute now."

Damn him. Why'd he have to be on time for once in his life? I blamed Blondie. She got on his ass about every damn thing.

She came out of the bathroom fully clothed just as the phone beeped to alert me to the fact that they were here. She didn't say anything; she just walked over and wrapped her arms around me. I held on to her until I heard the knock on the front door. Rainbow bolted from her spot on my pillow to go see who it was, of course. Reed Girl laughed as she watched her go.

"At least I know Rainbow will be looking out for you."

"Yeah, she will. It's not the same, though."

"I know. But it's not goodbye, right?"

We'd agreed that we loathed that word and that it didn't fit our situation. "It's see you later."

"Exactly."

We kissed until my asshat of a brother started knocking again. Fucker. He was going to wake up the entire building.

I took her bag and held her hand as we walked to the door. I opened it and glared at him, smacking him right in the gut with the bag.

He grunted. "Sorry, bro. We gotta go, though. Traffic is a bitch, and the girls have classes to get back to."

I knew that, logically, but I still fucking hated it. "Take her bag down, and we'll be down right after you."

Emmett laughed. "Like I'm going to buy that shit? You'll have her naked two seconds after I walk away. Sorry, but you need a chaperone."

Damn cockblocker family. "I hate you."

"No, you don't," Reed Girl chided me gently. "It's only three weeks."

Three long-ass weeks. I sighed and turned to face her. "I should get dressed and come down with you."

"No, I'd like to remember you just like this." She eyed my bare chest hungrily while my brother gagged.

I flipped him off and let her look her fill. "Fine. You have a good flight, and don't let that jackass annoy you."

She laughed while my brother spluttered in protest. "I'm a perfect flight companion. I take her unwanted snacks and offer her my puke bag in case she needs it."

I rolled my eyes as Reed Girl giggled. "Yes, he's quite helpful. We use him as a pack mule."

"Hey! I'm more than just big muscles."

"No, you're not," we both said at the same time.

Emmett glared at us. "Just for that, I'm going to press the elevator button right now. Say your goodbyes, lovebirds."

I wanted to beat his ass, but he was right. It was time. I brushed her hair out of her eyes and kissed her again. "See you soon, baby."

"Very soon," she promised, hugging me tight.

"Take care of your daddy, Rainbow."

Rainbow meowed and rubbed against my ankles.

"See? She will."

"Yeah, yeah. Call me when you land."

"I will. I love you."

I worked up a smile for her because she looked like she wanted to cry. "I love you, too, baby." I kissed her again just as the elevator arrived.

She smiled sadly and let go of me.

Watching her walk away was hard as fuck. I picked up Rainbow and waved her paw when Reed Girl turned around. That made her laugh, though it sounded a little forced. She stepped into the elevator with my brother, who nodded at me to let me know he'd take care of her. He may be a moron, but he was a good protector, and I trusted him with my girl. She blew me a kiss just as the elevator door closed.

I sighed as I stepped back inside and closed the front door. Rainbow meowed, and I let her rub on my face. "It sucks when she leaves." I carried her to the couch and sat, holding her close, wishing Reed Girl was still with us. "Soon." Not soon enough, though. Never soon enough.

Xoxoxoxoxox

"Are you sure your name's not really _Colon_? Because I hear you have a thing for asses."

I fought back a snicker as Jennings walked by. It had been the week from hell for Colin. The jokes about Brandon/Brandy had been flying, and Sammy had made good on his bottle of brandy-amongst other things, like anal plugs and shit. It served to remind me never to get on my girl's bad side. She was downright diabolical.

"Fuck off, or I'm going to beat yours," Colin threatened.

"Promises, promises! I wouldn't want to make Brandy jealous, though." Jennings laughed as he dodged Colin's swing. "Hey, I can't fault you. That was one beautiful dude. If I swung that way, I'd totally hit that."

"I didn't! Why the fuck does nobody believe me? I never saw her-him before!"

"Sure. You still have any of that brandy lying around? Bottom's up! Is that what she said when she went to town on you?"

Colin looked like he was going to go postal any second, so I stepped in. "Enough's enough, dude. We've got a game to play."

Jennings looked like he was going to say something more, but he shrugged. "Whatever you say, man."

"Thanks," Colin said as I pulled my jersey on over my pads.

"No problem."

"No, really. You've been the only one who hasn't said shit all week long. Do you believe me?"

Well, fuck. One day he was going to find out who Brandy really was, and he'd probably kick my ass. "Yes." I sat to pull on my cleats. "It's not as much fun when the joke's on you, is it?"

He sighed. "That's for sure. I know I was a jerk. Thanks for having my back, anyway. This week has sucked. First that Brandy clusterfuck and now there's something wrong with my car. It smells like something died in there."

I wasn't touching the car thing with a ten foot pole, but it was hard to bite back the laugh at the look on his face. Go Rainbow. But I did feel kinda bad about the Brandy thing. "You have mine on the field. I'll have yours off. As long as you don't disrespect my girl."

"She's cool." When I looked over at him, he smiled. "She has to be, right? She didn't mind you hitting on Bra-whatever that was-at the bar. Most girls wouldn't do that."

"Mine is one of a kind." That was for fucking sure. "And she knows I'd never do anything to hurt her."

I started to rise, to head out onto the field, when his voice stopped me. "I had a girl, once."

What? One girl? That was all? "Uhh…you do know you're a football player, right? You could probably get another one."

He snorted out a laugh. "Not one girl; _the_ girl. In college. I was going to marry her."

Clearly that hadn't worked out since his ass was single and horny now. "What happened?"

Dark eyes met mine. "She traded up."

Fuck. "That sucks. Bet she hates herself now. You're in the NFL, and whoever she hooked up with…" I faded off at the look on his face. Well, hell. "Really?"

"Mark Millner."

Quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. They were on our schedule later in the year. "That blows." What could I say? "She still with him?"

He shook his head. "We were teammates at Oklahoma. They were only together a few months, but that was a few months longer than I was comfortable with."

I couldn't help but feel for him. If Reed Girl hooked up with one of my teammates, I'd have gone insane. Not that she could have done better than me, of course, but still.

"Well, she fucked you over for nothing, then. Take some satisfaction in that. Plus, Millner hasn't exactly lit it up since he got into the league."

"Yeah, he's no you."

I raised a brow at that.

"What? You know you're good. I don't have to tell you that and add to that already giant ego."

"So, is that why you've been such a dick to me? I remind you of that asshole who stole your girl?" That was more than a little insulting. Millner couldn't come close to my talent, and he was an ugly fucker to boot. There was nothing similar about us, other than our position.

He shrugged. "Maybe a little. You're just a rookie, but you already have it all."

I did have it all. I couldn't deny it. "So, stop being a jerk and get it for yourself, man. Hooking up with anything that looks your way isn't the way to go about it." I nearly laughed at my own ass for that comment. "Been there and done that. It wasn't until Reed Girl came along and knocked me over the head a few times that I finally got it."

I glanced over my shoulder. "The Heidis of the world are a dime a dozen. The Bellas? Priceless."

Speaking of, I slipped the ring off my finger and put it in with the rest of my shit. I couldn't wear a ring on the field, but I wore it everywhere else. I'd taken a little shit for it, but it didn't bother me. I was whipped. I freely fucking admitted it.

"You have any sisters?" he asked, making me laugh.

"Thank God, no." A pang of guilt hit me. Fuck it. "I do have a sister-in-law." I locked my locker and turned to face him. "You've already met her."

"I have?" he asked, looking confused.

I braced myself. "Brandy."

He winced at the name.

"That was my sister-in-law, Rose. And before you get pissed at me, I had no idea what they were doing. Bella didn't even know about the Brandon thing until Rose did it."

His eyes were narrowed, and his jaw flexed a few times. I was ready to escape to the field when he let out a loud laugh. Maybe he'd had a mental break.

"That was pretty fucking good. I have to give you credit. I didn't think you had it in you." He actually looked and sounded impressed.

"Well, I didn't exactly do anything…"

He held up a hand. "Nah, it's cool. I maybe had some of it coming."

There was no maybe about it. "The guys all know that it wasn't real. We told them right after you left. They're just having some fun."

"That's what it's about, right?" He lifted his considerable bulk off the bench. I took a step back just in case he was fucking with me. "Just remember, turnabout is fair play."

"We're even," I told him. "And my girl-"

"Is off limits. I agree," he finished for me. "I won't mess with her or get you in trouble with her." He grimaced. "Sorry if I upset her with that Heidi shit."

"She's all good."

"Yeah, apparently she is. Does she have a sister?" he asked, flashing a grin.

"No. She's one of a kind."

"Friends?"

"Plenty."

"Tell her to hook me up with one, and then we're even." He clapped a hand on my shoulder that I could feel even through my pads. "Now, let's go kick some Cowboy ass."

Xoxoxoxoxox

The pass rush was insane. Where had this defense come from? We'd watched all of last year's tapes and their first game this season as well, and I'd seen nothing to prepare me for this. They were blitzing on every other play. I'd eaten turf more in the first quarter than I had all last game. The pundits all said that Dallas D was going to continue to be awful, especially after losing Ware to Denver over the summer. The pundits could go fuck themselves.

I managed to release the ball right as North hit me again. The ball fluttered out of my hands, and even though I couldn't see it, the cheer that went up let me know that I'd thrown a pick. The second one this game. And the one that iced it. Fuck.

Brady pulled me up. "We'll get 'em next time," he promised.

"Yeah." What could I say? What could I do? We'd lost, twenty-four to twenty-two. I hadn't lost in…fuck. I didn't even remember the last time I had.

I gave half-hearted handshakes to the Cowboys before jogging over to the tunnel. Coach met me there.

"Sorry. That last pass-"

"Would have been complete if you'd had a half-second more. Wasn't our day. You got us back into the game after they jumped out to a fourteen-point lead. Keep playing like that, and we'll be fine."

I was shocked that he wasn't yelling at my ass. He had in the preseason.

"I expect you in bright and early tomorrow morning. We have a lot of film to go over."

And there it was. I'd be forced to relive every sack and fuckup on my day off. That was fine, though. I'd damn well make sure that I was ready for them when we played again.

"I'll be there."

He looked at me closely before nodding. "How you handle a loss is even more important than how you handle a win, Cullen. The press is going to be on your ass. Keep your cool. Don't let them rattle you."

xoxoxoxoxox

He'd been right. The questions had been designed to set me off.

_You threw as many interceptions as you did touchdowns. Is the NFL too difficult for you?_

_You were under pressure all game long. Is your offensive line a problem?_

_Why'd you throw that pass to Call instead of a screen to Jennings? Did you not see the safety?_

On and on it had gone, and I'd never been so happy to get away from the cameras. I handled all the shit they tossed at me, but I'd wanted to go off on more than one of the assholes. They thought they knew so much about the game because they covered it? I'd love to see one of them out on the field. They wouldn't know it all then, would they?

I took my phone out of my jeans as I slid into my seat on the team bus. I had several missed calls and texts, of course. I pulled up the one from Reed Girl.

_You're still my Champ. Always. I love you. And I'm going to kick Brady's and Colin's asses for not doing a better job protecting you._

Only she could make me smile after that loss.

_Who needs them when I've got you to protect me? I love you, too. Call you when I get home._

I leaned back and closed my eyes. Next game would be better. I was Reed Girl's Champ after all. That made me a winner.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N Happy Football Day! It's still happy for me because the Noles managed to win, despite playing like crapola yet again. And yes, I still didn't watch them play a down. It works for us. They win and I stay sane. And we all know my sanity is hanging by a thin thread at this point! hehe You'll see that when you read this chapter :) It's a fun one!**

**So, Miss State is out, now who's in? Ohio State who lost their starting QB? TCU? Baylor? I'm interested to see what that ridiculous committee comes up with this time. Seriously, I have no words for those people and their rankings. Well, I do, but some of them aren't fit to print. hehe You can deduce a few I'm sure.**

**Who's excited about the NE/GB game today? Not only do I have a lot of fantasy players involved, but it should be an awesome game. At least I hope so! I love me a competitive game with two terrific teams.**

**You'll be happy to know (or maybe you won't care, haha) that Team Watt's Up Cock? is back on the winning side again. And my sad little 2-10 team lost by a scant .2 points to Twilover76. .2! I'd like to thank Bill Belichick for not bothering to let Jonas Gray play one down, which might have made that .2 go away. Awesome.**

**I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I destroyed my diet and blew my budget but I had a good time, so I guess that's what it's all about. I'll stop yammering and let you get to it. I know some of you have missed a certain ball of fur, so this should give you a happy feel or seven. hehe Fun one! I hope you enjoy! See you next week :)**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 13

Fuck, I hated losing. We were officially 2-2 after four games, which would be okay except for the fact that our losses were in our division to the Cowboys and the Eagles, as well as the fact that I didn't like losing. Now we were essentially an extra game behind in the NFC East. Watching film of Foles leading the game-winning drive against our defense made me sick. If only I'd completed that long pass to Embry the series before. They couldn't have caught us. Fuck.

"Are your ears still ringing?" Sammy asked as he plopped down on the bench beside me. "Coach Hopkins nearly had an aneurism when he replayed my drop in the third quarter. For real, I thought he was going to keel over right there, and then I'd have to give him mouth to mouth. That shit wouldn't have been pretty."

I laughed despite myself. "Nah, Coach bitched me out for the third-and-twelve play where I got intentional grounding, though." I raised an eyebrow at him. "Even though someone ran the wrong route."

He held up his hands. "Don't blame me, man! Jenkins was all over my ass. I had to cut in to get him off me. You should have anticipated that."

I rolled my eyes, but he was right. And he'd pretty much parroted Coach, minus about thirty-five "fucks" thrown in for good measure.

"Yeah, yeah. Are we still on for dinner?"

I'd been spending more time with the team, going out after some practices and games. I didn't go with them to their clubs, but I'd do dinner and a beer before heading home alone. Rainbow hadn't taken too kindly to change in our routine, but after she destroyed a couple of pairs of shoes, we'd reached an agreement of sorts. She didn't ruin shit, and I didn't lock her out of the bedroom as punishment. It worked for us.

"Yeah, we're hitting The Oaks tonight," he said, getting his shit out of his locker. "You wanna ride with me?"

I shrugged. "That depends. Are you going to the club after?"

He shook his head. "Nah, man. I can't deal with chicks tonight, not after Coach rode my ass all afternoon. I just want a burger and a beer, and then I want to watch the Skins get their asses kicked on Monday Night Football."

That would cheer us all up. They were a division foe I'd managed to defeat in week three. And they were winless, so at least we weren't in last place. It was something.

"Sounds good to me. Bring me back to get my car, and you can watch the game at my place if you want."

His grin flashed. "I'm in. I've gotta steal your girl from you anyway."

I laughed. "Good luck with that. Bella's got your number." She enjoyed the hell out of Sammy, but she'd never leave me.

"Not that girl. Rainbow. I'm gonna get her to like me best."

I snorted. "You'd have a better shot with Bella." Not really, because both my girls were loyal as fuck. Sammy was a cool guy, but he didn't stand a chance.

I grabbed my keys and phone, heading toward the door. "And we both know you don't have a shot in hell with her either."

Sammy came to a halt as he stepped into the hallway. "You're a lucky guy, Cullen. Bella's everything a guy could want."

I knew that. And why the fuck was he yelling? I got the answer to that when I saw Heidi leaning against the wall in front of the exit. Fucking hell. I hadn't seen her since I'd left her pathetic ass standing in the parking lot a few weeks ago. She'd sent me a couple of e-mails suggesting that we needed to discuss my charities, but I'd responded with Reed Girl's number, telling her again that she was the one to talk to about that shit.

"Edward. You're a hard man to track down." Her smile was bright as hell. And her teeth were super fucking white. She'd glow in the dark at one of Sammy's nightclubs.

"I'm reachable when I want to be." Translation: I have no interest in talking to you. Be gone.

"We keep him busy," Sammy told her, putting a supporting hand on my shoulder. "And what time we don't take up, his girl does. You've met Bella, right?"

If Sammy hadn't already been my closest friend on the team, he'd have elevated to that status right at that moment.

Heidi looked a bit like she'd sucked on a lemon as she nodded. "I have. She seems very nice." She said "nice" like it was a bad word. Bitch. "We really do need to discuss some ideas for your Foundation," she hinted, taking a step toward me. I took an automatic step back.

"As I believe I already mentioned, Bella will be the one to take the lead on whatever it is I do. You two get together and figure it out. I'll do whatever she tells me to do." Yes, I was aware that my statement made me sound like a submissive idiot, but I didn't give a shit. I didn't have time to figure out charity shit, especially not with Heidi. Just tell me when and where to be, and I'd be there. What was so fucking hard to get about that?

"Yes. And I'll get with her over the music charity. But I wanted to talk to you about the SPCA." She had a fake-ass smile on her face. "Perhaps Sammy could give us some privacy?"

Fuck and no.

Before I could say anything, Sammy shook his head. "Sorry, I'm Edward's date for the night. We're heading out to meet some of the boys for dinner. We'd invite you, but no girls allowed."

Her smile was more of a grimace now, but she sighed. "Actually, I needed to speak to you as well. I've spoken with my bosses and several people at the SPCA, and we agree that we'd like to not only raise money, but also to encourage people to adopt animals." Well, duh. "And what better way to do that than to have our own New York Giants pose for pictures with their adopted pets, in a charity calendar?"

Fucking hell. I didn't even have to look at Sammy to see that his ass was laughing. He was no longer my favorite teammate.

She was looking at me expectantly.

"Well, hasn't the calendar thing been done already?"

She smiled. "Not by us. The New York firefighter calendar raises a ton of money every year. We could do a lot of good for the SPCA and get a lot of animals new homes."

Fuck. "What if we took pictures with animals that actually need homes? That would make more sense, right?" Yes, I was desperate. The thought of posing for pictures with Rainbow was fucking terrifying.

Heidi beamed at me. "We'll do that, too! The calendar itself will be players with their own adopted pets, and the website is going to feature tons of pictures of you guys posing with animals that actually need homes! I can see it already! A big defensive lineman like Jason Pierre-Paul holding a tiny kitten in his hands. Who could resist that?"

I shot a look at Sammy, but he wasn't any help. He was grinning his ass off. "I'd love to pose with my dogs, Heidi. They're both rescues."

She grinned at him. "Perfect! I'll e-mail you details. What do you say, Edward? This is your baby, after all."

I was fucked. There was no way I was getting out of this without being a major dick to a charity that I actually believed in.

"How would we do it?"

She smiled brightly, knowing she'd fucking won. "I think the best thing to do would be to set aside a day to take pictures at the practice field. It'd combine football with the animals. The shelter would bring over some of their adoptees, and we could get it all done in one place."

That was a fucking nightmare. "I can't see my pet being around all those other animals. She's a bit temperamental."

Some weird look passed over her face. "Well, maybe we could arrange a private session…"

Oh, fuck no. "Never mind. I'm sure she'll be okay." She might massacre everyone in the building, but then there'd be no calendar, so it was a win.

I lifted my hand to run my fingers through my hair, and Heidi gasped. "Oh my God, did you get married?"

"I told you I was taken." Sammy smirked at me but didn't say anything. It wasn't a lie. I was taken, even if it wasn't official on paper yet.

Heidi didn't bother to try to hide the frown on her face. "Well, that changes things."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? What exactly does it change?"

"I mean, marketing you as a sexy, single guy was kind of where I was going."

"Because people won't want to adopt animals that are pictured with a married guy?" I didn't even bother to contain my snort at that idiocy.

She shifted. "Well, no, but…"

"Well, then. I look forward to you e-mailing the details. Rainbow and I will be there."

"Rainbow?" she asked, but I was already walking away.

Sammy jogged up next to me, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

"What?" I asked, stopping at his car.

"You do realize that you had an out right there, don't you? You might not have had to do the picture thing."

Fucking hell. I'd been too irritated to take the out when it was right in front of my face. "Whatever. She pissed me off."

He unlocked the car with his remote. "I don't blame you. Now that she thinks you're married, maybe she'll back off for good."

I threw myself into his passenger seat. "I sure as fuck hope so. I'm getting tired of her shit."

He shot me a look before starting the car. "You know, you could report her."

I rolled my eyes. "For what? Wanting me? I'd have to report half the free world."

He cracked up at that. "Always with the healthy ego, my man."

"She really hasn't done anything inappropriate. She hints at shit, but she doesn't grab my junk or anything. It'd be hard to prove that she was doing anything other than making me uncomfortable, which just makes me sound like a pussy."

"Sexual harassment is real for men, too," Sammy intoned, sounding serious as hell before breaking into laughter. "You could do a PSA."

"Fuck off. Drive me to dinner, asshole. I need a drink."

He started out of the parking lot. "I really can't wait."

"For what?" I asked, looking over at him.

"For Ms. Rainbow to get a shot at Heidi. You won't have to file harassment charges if she makes a move on you. Rainbow will take care of that shit."

I bit back a groan. God help us all if Heidi did anything that pissed Rainbow off. Although I had to admit, the image I had of it had me smiling.

Sammy hooted with laughter. "It's going to be the best photo shoot ever! I can't wait to save some animals."

Some of those animals may need to be saved if they came across my Rainbow. What had I gotten myself into?

Xoxoxoxoxox

"Remind me again why I'm doing this?" I asked Reed Girl through the Skype app on my iPad.

"Because it's for charity. And animals. We love animals."

I glanced at Rainbow, who was preparing for her big moment in the sun by grooming herself next to me on the bed. "I don't know if I'm going to love them today. This is going to be bad."

To say I was dreading this photo shoot was an understatement. It had come together in record time, which told me that Heidi probably had this shit planned before she even cornered me. We were scheduled to leave for Jacksonville tomorrow, so Coach worked us hard in morning practice, giving us the afternoon to do the shoot and get our shit together to travel.

"You'll be a good girl for Daddy, won't you Rainbow?" Reed Girl cooed through the screen. "And what will you do if a nasty PR lady gets a little handsy with your dad?"

Rainbow responded by lifting her leg to lick her ass. Reed Girl laughed. "Well, I'm going to trust that you're going to do more than that, but if you're calling her an asshole, well said, Rainbow."

"You know she's going to go apeshit when I pose with other animals," I pointed out. Rainbow was territorial as fuck. One time I happened to be near one of Jasper's wastoid cats and there'd been a look of death in her eyes. Everybody said I was exaggerating, but I knew what I saw.

"Stash her in an office or something," she suggested. "I wish I could be there to help."

"To help or to ward off Heidi?" I asked, knowing the answer.

She scoffed. "I don't need to ward her off. She thinks we're married." The smile that lit her face was fucking gorgeous. "She'll back off if she knows what's good for her."

Fuck, she got me hard when she got possessive. "Are you going to fight for me, baby? Because I have to tell you, that would be hot as hell."

Reed Girl laughed. "In your prurient dreams, perv."

I smirked at her. "I'll dream it tonight."

"Good luck with that." She shook her head. "I'm saving my fantasies for the real thing tomorrow night."

And that, right there, was why I'd get through this ridiculous photo shoot. Because tomorrow, my girl and I would be together again. It had been three very long weeks without her. I couldn't wait to get her alone.

"Is there any way we can ditch…"

She stopped me with a laugh. "You know that Jasper's chomping at the bit to see you and talk shop. He's been talking about seeing you more than I have." That was just fucked up. "We'll have the whole night, though."

I guess. Dinner with the gang wouldn't be that bad, as long as Jasper didn't try to molest me or anything.

"I can't wait, baby."

"Me either." She glanced at her watch and winced. "I have to go. Class awaits."

Fuck. "Me, too."

She giggled at my pained expression. "It'll be fine. Rainbow was meant for the limelight, and we both know you already live there."

Maybe. "But she's a cat."

She laughed. "She's the coolest cat ever, which you've said yourself. Let her show her stuff. Nobody will make fun of you."

Sure, that was easy for her to say. "Why couldn't she be a dog?"

"Because she's Rainbow. And you don't want her to be anything other than what she is."

"Not on most days."

She shook her head. "Not ever. Go. Kick some ass. Make sure Rainbow gets within striking distance of Heidi. And call me when you get done."

Like she even had to ask. I'd definitely need her after this. Probably I'd need a few years of therapy, too.

"I will."

"Good. I love you." She blew us kisses.

"Love you, too."

We disconnected, and I faced Rainbow, who stopped grooming and stretched, arching her back, looking for all the world like she was getting ready for what lay ahead.

I pointed a finger at her. "You will not embarrass me. You will not attack any other animal, particularly one that doesn't have an awesome home like you do. You will also not attack any of my teammates, even Colin, who still sort of deserves it. You won't shit, pee, or puke on or in anyone's personal items. You will not freak out. Do we have an agreement?"

She responded by nibbling on the end of my finger. Fucking hell.

"I take it you're not going to get into the cat carrier?" I asked, like I even had to.

Rainbow responded by hopping off the bed and walking past said carrier, tail swishing in the air. Fuck that noise. I didn't have it in me to wrestle with her for the next half hour or so, which was the approximate amount of time it took to get her into one of those things. I didn't bother most of the time.

I followed her out of the room and scooped her up. She eyed me suspiciously.

"I'm not putting you in the damn carrier. But I swear to fuck, if you act up, I'm going to leave you with the shelter people and I'll bring home a nice big German Shepherd to take your place."

She head-butted me, purring as I carried her toward the door. "You could at least pretend to fear that I mean it."

But, of course, Rainbow knew how to call me on my shit, just like Reed Girl did. She snuggled into my neck, purring away.

"Fine. I won't get a German Shepherd. You're probably more protective than it could ever be."

More purrs and head-butts accompanied that. Rainbow knew she won. She always did.

"Let's get this shit over with."

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

I pulled up in the parking lot, groaning at the number of cars that remained. There was no way I was getting out of this without the entire building knowing about Rainbow.

"Remember," I warned her, getting out with Rainbow draped across my chest.

We didn't even get to the door before Jennings was calling my name, running up with some giant-ass dog, which looked like some kind of golden-lab mix.

"So, this is the famous Rainbow. I've heard all about you, kitty."

Rainbow was too busy eying his dog to respond. I couldn't say for certain, but it looked like she was looking down her nose at the animal. Could cats sneer? Because that's what she seemed to be doing.

I tightened my grip on her, even though the dog seemed completely disinterested in her. He was busy wrapping his leash around his owner's feet. No wonder Rainbow was sneering. She'd only do that if she wanted to trip the fuck out of someone. And she would never do it to me.

He cursed and worked on disentangling himself. "Damn it, Duke." He shook his head. "We've had issues with leash training."

"I can see that." I laughed as he got free. "My girl tried putting a leash on Rainbow once. She lay there like a limp noodle and wouldn't move at all until she was free." Rainbow didn't believe in being led around; she did the leading.

He chuckled. "Yeah, I don't think many cats like leashes. She sure seems content in your arms."

"Here's hoping it stays that way," I muttered.

He shot me a look but shrugged. "Let's get to it."

I followed him through the door that led past the offices and media rooms. Before I knew it, we were at the entrance to the field.

"Behave," I said, before taking a deep breath and following my running back onto the field. A bunch of my teammates were lined up, all with dogs, of course, although JPP was holding some giant-ass iguana or something.

Rainbow lifted her head, and I felt her claws flex against my shirt. I'd definitely have holes in this shirt before it was all said and done. That was okay, though. I'd expected that.

Before I could head over to my teammates, Heidi came running up. "Oh my God. You have a cat! That's so-"she broke off at the look on my face "-different." At least she didn't say whatever slam she'd been about to.

"She's Bella's." Rainbow took that moment to give me a head-butt. Of-fucking-course she did. "Ours," I corrected, knowing Rainbow was probably going to make me pay if I denied her.

"She's absolutely adorable! Aren't you? Aren't you a pretty baby?" Heidi was cooing at her in some ridiculous voice that had those claws tightening in my shirt again. Too much more of that, and I knew Rainbow was going to strike. She liked attention but not babying, unless it was by Reed Girl.

"Yeah, she's great. How are we doing this? I'm going to have to put Rainbow away when I take pictures with other animals."

"Is that right? Would you be upset if you saw your daddy with other animals? A sweet little thing like you?" Heidi smiled at me. "I'm sure there's more than enough of him to go around. A good girl would share."

Fucking hell, was she for real? She was damn well playing with fire. If Rainbow didn't get her, Reed Girl was going to.

"I'm a one pussy guy," I said, running a hand over Rainbow, who was starting to growl, a low rumble coming out of her throat.

"Well, you can put her away. What she isn't there to see doesn't have to hurt her. I can be discreet." She tossed in a wink and a lick of her lips.

We both knew she wasn't talking about Rainbow. Fuck this noise.

"Look. I don't know what I have to say or do to get it through your thick skull. _I'm not fucking interested._ Not now. Not ever. You need to back the hell off, or I'll report you for harassment." No, I wouldn't, but she didn't need to know that.

Her blue eyes got really wide. "Edward, I don't know what you think I meant, but…"

"Do you think I'm stupid? I know when I'm being hit on. It happens all the time." I smirked at her dumb ass. "And all the time, I turn it down because I love my girl. That's not changing. And I'm never going to disrespect her by cheating on her. So stop with the innuendo, stop getting in my face, and stop playing stupid games with me. It's not going to work."

I didn't realize we had an audience until I heard stifled laughter coming from the left. I turned and saw that most of my teammates had crept into ear shot, along with Coach.

Heidi looked over at the same time I did and turned as red as a tomato. "I don't know what you thought I was talking about, but it was your cat. I'll just take her while you get those pictures."

And then, because she was a dumbass who clearly couldn't read signals, she reached for Rainbow. That was all it fucking took. She'd already been on edge from my tone and the other animals in the vicinity, so when a stranger tried to touch her, she lashed out.

Rainbow let out an unholy yowl and let those dagger claws of hers fly, causing five distinct tracks of blood to appear on Heidi's cheek. Heidi screamed, while Rainbow spit, hissed, and I swear to fuck she was trying to reach her for another swipe.

"She attacked me!" she screamed, throwing her hands over her face before turning and running across the field.

Rainbow continued to yell, her fur all puffed up, her ears flat on her head.

"Calm the fuck down. She's gone. You won. Holy shit."

I stroked her fur and murmured at her as she started to quiet down. "Nobody's taking you away from me. You're fine. You did what Reed Girl asked, didn't you? You protected my honor. You're a good girl. Good Rainbow."

She settled down, burying her face back in my neck eventually.

"You okay, man?"

I looked up at Sammy, who approached cautiously.

"I'm fine." I had a few claw marks of my own from Rainbow's back feet, but she hadn't meant to get me.

"What about you, killer? I think you scared every dog in this place." Sure enough, his had its tail tucked between its legs.

Rainbow lifted her head and regarded the crowd around her, seemingly unaffected by what had just gone down. Sammy held out a hand toward her, and she sniffed before giving him a head-butt in greeting.

"Well, at least she still likes me." He passed his dog off to Brady. "I think they're ready for you over there. I'll watch her for you, if she'll let me."

I glanced at Rainbow, who seemed over her snit. "We can try." I pried her claws out of my shirt and held her out to Sammy. Much to my relief, she went with him.

"You're a brave man."

He laughed. "Show them no fear, man. Go do your thing."

So I went and posed with a dog that seemed to love the smell of Rainbow. He sniffed the shit out of me. And I also held a cat that trembled in fear. I wasn't sure if that was just her personality or if the scent of Rainbow had her running scared.

When I was done, I headed over to the bench, where Sammy had Rainbow. He wasn't holding her. He and several of my teammates were gathered in a circle, laughing. I wasn't sure what they were laughing about, but I knew it couldn't be good.

"Hey, where's-"I broke off when I saw that Rainbow was just fine, strolling around the bench and looking mighty proud of herself.

"What are you all doing to my cat?" I demanded.

She immediately ran over to me when she heard my voice, doing her little reach that had me scooping her up.

"We didn't do anything, man. She did it all herself." Brady shook his head. "I know you told me about what she did before, but I kind of thought you were making shit up, until I saw her with my own eyes."

Oh, fucking hell. "What did she do?"

Rainbow purred and started rubbing herself all over me, either because she was proud of herself or because she was trying to take off the scent of the other animals from me. Probably both.

"What didn't she do? See that purse over there?" Sammy pointed at some pink bag on the ground, sitting underneath some files and shit on the bench. I had a bad feeling I didn't want the answer.

"She scratched the shit out of it!" Colin supplied, sounding positively giddy. "Then she climbed on it and peed on top of it. Fuck, man, I know I was pissed off at her for the way she acted at your house, but that shit is hilarious. She's awesome."

"I've never seen anything like it," Sammy said, looking baffled. "She wanted down, and since the dogs weren't close, I let her wander." He smiled. "I swear, I wasn't more than a couple feet away. I would have grabbed her if there was any trouble. She started sniffing and sniffing, just kept going until she found that bag and went to town. I was gonna stop her but, well, Heidi kinda had it coming."

"He did grab her when she started biting the papers. We figured those might be important," Paul said. "Damndest thing I ever saw. She really needs to teach my dogs that shit. I've got this neighbor who needs an ass kicking."

I lifted Rainbow in front of my face, taking in her expression. She looked quite satisfied with herself. I could get pissed at her, but honestly, she hadn't embarrassed me. We'd both embarrassed the shit out of Heidi, and I wasn't getting made fun of because Rainbow had gone all psycho on the bitch. All in all, it was kind of a win of a day.

"She's available for hire," I joked, shaking my head. Rainbow meowed and reached for me. I put her back in her spot. "For now, though, we've got pictures to take."

I took her across the field to the photo area, where the cameraman was ready for us. He called out directions, and I swear to shit, Rainbow posed and preened and acted like she was some Hollywood cat, trained just for this.

"I think we've got our cover," he told me, after one shot where Rainbow had leaned in to my face, putting us cheek to cheek.

"Go figure," I muttered, glad to be done.

Coach was standing by, watching it all with an amused smile on his face.

"Aren't you glad you gave us the day off for this?" I asked.

"Yeah, actually, I am." He put a hand on my shoulder. "Is she a problem?"

"Who? Rainbow? No, I'm used to her crazy."

He laughed. "No. Heidi. Is there a problem I need to address? I won't have her harassing you or anyone else."

I sighed. "She's indicated her interest in me, but I think after today, she's going to back the hell off. If she does anything else, I'll let you know."

"Good. That's all I ask. Though I guess you don't need me as a protector." He smiled and held out a hand to Rainbow. She gave him a head-butt. "I'm glad I'm not on your shit list."

I grinned at him. "Just remember I can sic her on you if you think about benching me."

He laughed. "Not a chance in hell, Cullen."

Damn right. This shit hadn't turned out to be so bad. Rainbow had behaved with the other animals, she'd gotten Heidi to back off, and we'd made the cover of the calendar. Edward Cullen had come up a winner, like always. As had Rainbow, of course. That went without saying.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N Happy Football Day! Very happy, since my Noles managed to eek out yet another win last night, with me NOT watching, keeping up tradition. Whatever works! Of course, who knows if that idiot committee will keep them in the top 4 since they continue to win ugly. It would take massive balls not to put the only undefeated, not to mention reigning championship team, in the playoffs, but we'll see. Who do you think the final 4 will be? I know they're dying to get Ohio State in after last night's thrashing of Wisconsin, but those morons ranked TCU who also won big number 3. Can they justify moving them down 2 places after a big win? I wish I was in that room last night so I could laugh at them. Good luck! haha**

**Football playoffs are starting in some leagues in fantasy and I have 4 first place teams. I better win one of them, that's all I'm saying. How are your teams looking? Are you sad, like me, that the NFL season is fast winding down? In Feb I'll be inconsolable over the football hiatus again. I guess at least we'll have this to keep us going, right?**

**I very much want to thank you all for your votes in the Fandom awards! Sideline won first place for Favorite Pee Your Pants Scene (hehe), WWF won second place for favorite LFMAO fic & First won second place for Favorite UNF scene! Three different fics placing amongst that competition is just astounding and I truly am honored for all the love you share with me. You all are the reason I continue to write 5 years later, and I'm thrilled you're still along with me. Thank you, again!**

**Okay, enough of me. There's a reunion, or several, ahead, and I know you want to enjoy that! Speaking of reunions, I had a Jaspy moment yesterday. While talking aloud to myself (I'm not nuts, really) I actually said, "I'll do that after I get back from going to the place to do the thing." Clearly, I knew that we'd be seeing him soon. And sadly, I was not impaired. I'm just getting older. haha Sucks! Anyway, in honor of Jaspy, here's the chapter! Have fun!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 14

It felt like time was standing still. I knew Reed Girl was nearby. It was almost like I could feel her. But I had to endure the walk-through of the Jags stadium, even though I'd played here several times and already knew the fucking drill. It felt like I was ready to jump out of my skin by the time we'd finished.

Before I could hit the parking lot, Coach called my name. Fucking hell.

"Yeah?" I asked, trying my damndest not to snap at him. I sort of failed.

He smirked at me. "I know you're not staying at the hotel tonight. I just wanted to make sure you knew to be there at eight sharp. I'll make allowances for you to spend time with your family, but if you're late, your ass is sharing a room with me tomorrow night."

I shuddered at that thought. "I'll be on time."

He clapped me on the back. "Good. Say hi to Bella for me."

"Will do." After I'd kissed the hell out of her and given her at least three orgasms. I had my priorities straight.

I booked it to the rental car I'd arranged and was home in no time. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that Emmett's Range Rover was in the driveway. They were here.

I grabbed my shit and headed up the walkway, but before I even got to the front door, it swung open.

"Edward!"

Fucking hell. Before I could defend myself, Jasper was on me. He hugged the living shit out of me, and since my hands were full of my bags, there was nothing I could do but take it.

"It's so good to see you! I've missed you! I've been watching your games and wishing I was there. Did you get my texts? You knew I was watching, right?"

I wasn't sure he was ever going to let me go, so I dropped my bags and broke his hold.

"You're always watching me, Jasper." I didn't mean that in quite the way he did, but he grinned at me goofily.

"I am! Just like you watch me! I can't thank you enough for the advice. I've been so much calmer these past few games. And we won! You're proud, right? I haven't fucked up your team."

God, he was hyper as fuck. That was Shorty's fault. She'd clearly worn off on him. That or the pot had given him ADD. Or maybe it had disguised it all those years with his drug highs.

"They're your team now, and you're playing well."

I shouldn't have said that shit, because he was wrapped around me again.

"You made it easy on me. You're a better coach than Coach is."

I shook my head. "You just needed to stop doubting yourself. And now you need to get the fuck off me so I can go into the house and see my girl."

Jasper released me and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. I'm just excited. Do you think I can go to practice with you tomorrow? I'd love to go to an NFL practice."

I shrugged before picking my bags back up. Jasper grabbed one and fell into step beside me.

"Sure, if you want. You haven't had enough of practice yet?"

"Not of yours."

I rolled my eyes at his creepy stalkerish ways. But just as I was about to tell him to back off, Reed Girl stepped into the doorway and he ceased to exist in my eyes.

A beautiful smile lit her face, and this time I was prepared when a body launched into my arms. The right body. I dropped my bag and held her tight, my lips meeting hers. Finally. It didn't matter where we were; with her, I was home.

Her hands were buried in my hair and mine were in their spot on her ass as I crushed her to me. "Missed you," she murmured over and over between kisses.

"Fuck. Me, too."

My dick was hard as a rock. I needed to be in her immediately. I lifted my head to find the nearest place to take her, and my eyes landed on the very amused eyes of every member of my family. Fucking hell.

"Well, hello, son." My dad gave me a little wave.

"Hi." Yeah, that didn't sound overly enthusiastic, but so the fuck what? I looked at Reed Girl, who was still wrapped around me, her face a little flushed. I wasn't sure if she was embarrassed or trying not to laugh.

"I forgot something back at the hotel, so I think we'll go pick it up. We'll be back in an hour or two."

I took a step back, but before I could escape with Reed Girl, my mother cleared her throat.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, if you even think about leaving without so much as a word to your family, there will be hell to pay."

Fuck. "I said a word. I said a few of them."

Reed Girl let her laughter loose then and unlocked her legs from around my waist. Damn it.

"Your family missed you as much as I did."

"I didn't," Emmett interjected, getting a glare from my mother. "What? We just saw him a few weeks ago. That's not enough time to miss anybody."

"Says you," my mother said, smacking him upside the head. "I always miss my boys when they're not around."

"Please. You had a party the day his ass finally left." I picked my bags back up; since it was clear I wasn't going to escape anytime soon. Perhaps I could get Reed Girl to help me unpack in my bedroom.

"It wasn't a party. It was a tea," Mom informed me lightly before stepping forward and pulling me into a hug. "It's good to have you home."

"It's good to be here." And it was. I was pretty good with being alone at our place in New Jersey; I mean, I was used to it and Rainbow was there at least. But being here with all of them again was pretty cool, even if they were cockblocking me as usual.

Shorty came next, throwing her arms around me with enough enthusiasm to knock my ass over if she didn't weigh like ninety pounds. "It's good to see you!"

"You too, Shorty. Are you keeping him in line?"

She rolled her eyes. "Always. It's a full-time job."

"You love it, Wife."

"I do." She made kissy faces at him, so I sent her in his direction. They could coo all over each other away from me, thank you very much.

I nodded at Blondie, who shot me a grin. We definitely liked each other more since she'd schooled Colin for me.

Dad took my bag and gave me a one-armed hug. Mom scooted us all into the living room, where a big plate of half-eaten chocolate chip cookies awaited. I shot my brother a look before grabbing a handful.

"What? You took too long." He didn't even bother to apologize; he just took more of my cookies and shoved them in his mouth.

"Dick." That got me a whack upside the head. "Sorry, Mom."

"You boys. You'll never grow up." She sounded quite pleased with the notion, though, and smiled as she sat down. "Tell us about the calendar shoot yesterday."

Fuck, had that only been yesterday? It felt like eons ago. Reed Girl giggled as she cuddled into my side, helping herself to several of my cookies. I thought about complaining, but since I wanted to get laid later, I bit that shit back. I had my priorities straight.

"My girl took care of business," Reed Girl announced, licking her lips with a look of satisfaction on her face. "She not only scratched Heidi, she also ruined her no doubt designer bag by scratching it and peeing in it."

"Awesome! Rainbow for the win!" My brother threw back his head and laughed. "Damn, Rosie, why didn't we keep her? Emmett Junior never does anything fun."

She raised an eyebrow. "You're the one who dubbed him Emmett Junior. That kind of stuck him with us. Plus, Rainbow picked Edward. We didn't have anything to do with it."

"That's true. Still, we need an attack cat. Let's call in that guy from Animal Planet and ask him to train him."

"Idiot. That guy turns mean cats into good cats. He'd probably like to get his hands on Rainbow," Rose said, laughing when I flipped her off. Fuck that noise. Rainbow was staying awesome.

"F…no way. Rainbow doesn't need that guy."

Mom shook her head. "No, she doesn't. How did the actual pictures go?"

Reed Girl giggled again, and I kissed the top of her head. "Rainbow and I made the cover."

"Of course you did." Mom positively beamed at that. "My handsome boy. And I can't tell you how excited I was when I saw you in that Subway commercial just the other day."

Yeah, my first national commercial had rolled out. It was lame since I had to share it with RG3 and Kaepernick, but I was the only rookie. And the best quarterback of the group, of course.

"Eat fresh!" Jasper quoted as he held up a cookie. "Speaking of eating, when's dinner?"

Mom laughed. "Lasagna will be ready in about half an hour."

Well, hell, if we had a little time… "I'm going to take my stuff upstairs." I squeezed Reed Girl's side before getting to my feet. "I need a shower, too."

She stood and twined her fingers with mine. "I'll come up with you."

"Can I-" Jasper broke off when Shorty elbowed him. "What? I just wanted to go hang out with them."

"While he showers? Can't you tell they want some alone time?" she hissed none too quietly.

"Oh, well. Yeah. Sorry." He actually looked like he might be.

"No problem. We'll hang later." Whatever it took to get her alone right now.

We headed up the stairs as everybody laughed behind us. "Take your time, son. The lasagna can wait."

"I can't," Emmett complained, even though he'd eaten a shit-ton of my cookies.

We didn't bother to stick around to hear anyone else weigh in. The instant I closed the door, I dropped my bag and Reed Girl launched herself at me again. I pressed her against my bedroom door and lifted her up so I could rub my cock right where it wanted to be the most.

"Thank fuck we're alone," I murmured as I grinded myself into her.

"Yes. I love them, but they need to go away," she agreed, making me laugh.

She was wearing one of those sexy dresses that showed off every curve. I reached behind her looking for a zipper, but she shook her head. "You just pull it off."

Fan-fucking-tastic. She put her arms above her head in this hot position of surrender. I really liked that. I let her body slide down mine before reaching for the bottom of the dress and pulling it up slowly, revealing every inch of her sexy body. Her underwear was some barely there sexy black lace, and the bra that matched it was cut low and had her beautiful breasts spilling out of it.

"Love that underwear you're almost wearing," I told her as I tossed the dress behind me.

"I thought you might."

She started to lower her hands, but I stopped her. "No. Stay like that."

She raised an eyebrow but did as I said. I nipped at her neck, kissing and sucking while she moaned my name. I made my way down to her breasts, licking just above the lace. "So fucking hot, baby."

"I got it for you," she managed, finishing on a low moan when I bit her nipple through the fabric. "Shit!"

I laughed and flipped open the front clasp, letting her tits out. I rubbed and kissed them, noticing that the bra had left a couple of red lines on her. "A bit tight, baby?"

She shrugged and moaned as I kissed them better. "Just the style, I guess." Her head fell back against the door when I sucked a nipple into my mouth. "Oh yeah, just like that."

"Every night I dream about touching you like this," I told her, letting my hands move down her body. She was so fucking soft. So perfect.

"I dream about it, too."

My fingers slipped inside her underwear, finding her wet and hot, just like she always was for me. "Yeah? What do you dream, baby?"

"I dream about-oh God!" I pinched her clit lightly, and her hands came off the door, gripping onto my shoulders.

"Tell me, Bella." I stroked her softly. She pushed her hips toward me.

"You. Us. You inside of me. Tasting me. Me tasting you. All of it."

I laughed at her inability to form complete sentences. I couldn't blame her, though. It was hard to think of anything when I had my hands on her.

"Do you ever dream about this?" I slid her underwear off and got to my knees in front of her.

She nodded as I pushed her legs apart, and then she moaned when I took my first taste of her sweet pussy.

Her hands flew into my hair, and she held me to her as I moved my tongue over her. "God, yes!" she whispered when I nipped her clit lightly.

"Tell me, what do I do to you in these dreams?" I asked before sliding my tongue inside her.

"God, Edward. I can't." She was practically panting as I worked her over with my tongue.

"Please," I murmured, licking my way up her pussy.

"You slide two fingers inside me while you suck on my clit," she finally got out. So fucking hot, hearing what my girl thought about. I hurriedly complied, fucking her with my fingers while my tongue flicked back and forth over her.

"Yes. Just like that. You, you know, you nuzzle me like you do."

I rubbed my nose against her clit, making her gasp.

"Yes. Then you curl…"

She didn't have to finish. I curled my fingers inside her and set her off. She came hard, crying my name, while I licked and sucked and rode it out with her.

"Holy shit," she murmured when she finally stopped convulsing.

I stood and grinned down at her. She was flushed and naked and sexy as all hell, looking like she'd just had the mother of all orgasms. Which she totally had, thanks to me.

"Then what happens?"

Her dazed brown eyes met mine. "Then you fuck me until I can't see straight."

I fucking loved it when she said fuck. "You already can't see straight, but I'll be happy to repeat the experience for you."

I scooped her up and put her on my bed. She lay back, watching as I shed my shirt, jeans, and boxers in record time. Just looking at her, all sexy and sated on my bed, had me hard as a rock. Then she slid her hand down her body and started fingering herself right in front of me. I nearly jizzed from that sight alone.

"You look hot as hell touching yourself, baby."

She smiled and didn't stop her movements. Thank fuck. "Well, unfortunately I'm getting quite used to doing it."

Fuck. That was both hot and sad at the same time. "I'm sorry, Reed Girl. You know I'd-"

She shook her head. "Don't be. It is what it is, for the next two months. Just touch me yourself."

I didn't need to be told twice. I dove onto the bed next to her, making her bounce and laugh. My fingers joined hers on her wet, hot pussy. She pressed herself against both our fingers. So fucking hot.

"I don't think you should come without me. Call me, or better yet, Skype me when you do." We'd had a few Skype sex sessions, but not nearly enough for my taste.

Her breathing picked up when she slipped two fingers inside herself. "I have."

"Every time?" I asked, enjoying the way she bit her lip, looking almost bashful, even though she was naked and finger banging herself.

"Well, no. I mean, sometimes you're out or asleep so-"

"Interrupt me or wake me, baby. Nothing is more important than seeing you, hearing you, just talking to you." She knew that, right? She was my entire world.

She touched my face with her non-busy hand. "Okay. Same goes for you."

I didn't have to be asked twice. "Done."

Her hand fell from my face and brushed against my cock. "Good. All of your orgasms are mine."

"Fuck me," I muttered, just blown away at how sexy she was.

"I thought you'd never ask."

She rolled on top of me, sliding up my body until she was exactly where I wanted her to be. Her eyes stayed on mine as she rose up and took me inside her body. I groaned at the feel of her surrounding me. Every time, it was sheer fucking perfection.

She bent forward to kiss me as she rolled her hips. I could tell from the pace she was setting that she didn't want to take it slow. I thrust my cock up into her, hard, and she moaned into my mouth. "God, yes."

She sat back and rode me, her gorgeous body begging for my hands. I rolled her nipples between my fingers and pretty much had to swallow my drool when she started touching her clit again.

"So good. I needed this. I've been craving you."

"Have all you want, baby."

She laughed. "I will." She sped up her movements, and I knew she was close. Thank God, because I'd been ready to come before she even took me inside her.

I gripped her waist in one hand and used the other to join her on her pussy. It didn't take much-a few circles followed by a little pinch-before she threw back her head and came hard. And as soon as I felt that, I let myself go, coming just after her, fucking loving the way she gripped my dick and the little aftershocks that moved through her.

She collapsed on top of me, her head against my shoulder. I ran my fingers up and down her back, making her shiver.

"I think we're late for dinner," she murmured eventually, nibbling on my neck.

"I'd rather eat you anyway." Fuck food. I had a naked Reed Girl in my bed for the first time in three weeks. I didn't need to eat.

She laughed lightly. "We have to join them, Edward. I know your mom wants to talk about the wedding, and they need some time with you, too."

"Fucking hell. I can see them after the game."

She sat up and shook her head. She was so fucking beautiful, all sexy and had. She'd never looked more gorgeous to me.

"You're all mine after the game. We'll give them a couple of hours, have dinner and chat, and then we'll come up here and you can have me for dessert. How does that sound?"

That sounded like sheer perfection to me. "Okay, but we really do need that shower now."

She giggled. "That we do. I guess we'd better take one together, in the interest of saving time."

"I'm all about saving time." I smacked her ass lightly, making her squeal. "Let's go. The sooner we're done, the sooner I can get you back where I want you."

"If you had your way, I'd never get out of bed."

I laughed. "That's not true. Sometimes I want you bent over the couch, or in the shower, or the tub, or on the kitchen counter."

"Hmm, anywhere else?" she asked with a sexy smile.

"Plenty of places. I'll keep them for a surprise, though. Spring them on you when and where you least expect it." I'd fuck her anywhere and anywhere.

The smile slipped off her face for a second before returning. "I like surprises. Do you?"

"Sure, baby. Do you have a surprise for me? Maybe a sexy little outfit like that underwear set?"

She laughed. "Maybe. You'll have to see later, won't you?"

Fuck yes. "Let's get this dinner done."

"Are you sure you're ready for any surprise that I throw your way?" she asked, biting her lip again.

Why'd she look so damn nervous? I didn't like it. I wanted her smile back. "Bring it on, Reed Girl."

"Remember you said that." She slid off me, and I sighed as my dick lost its warm home. She laughed at the expression on my face. "Come on, Champ. Dinner and then dessert."

"I'm going to need lots of dessert. Seconds and thirds for sure."

She shook her head, and I watched her sexy ass walk across the room. "Are you just going to stare, or are you going to join me, greedy man?"

Like that was even a question. I got up and headed her way. "You're going to have a hard time keeping me away from you."

She muttered something that sounded like the word "hope."

"What?"

"I don't want you away from me."

I touched her beautiful face, knowing that the sadness I saw there was because of our time apart. "Never again after you graduate, baby. I promise."

"You always keep your promises, don't you?" she asked before kissing me softly.

"You know I do."

"I'm glad. Let's go get this done."

She didn't sound like she really wanted to. "Hey, baby, if you don't want to go down and do dinner-"

"I do. I just want to be with you."

"Two hours. That's all they can have. Then I'm all yours. I promise."

She smiled. "Keep on keeping those promises and I'll be happy."

"Making you happy is all I want to do, Bella."

"You do. Always."

And I always would. My girl was my number one priority and I was going to keep on showing her that.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N Happy Football Day! It's both happy and sad, because of course, football! but sad because college is already done and awaiting the bowl games. Le sigh. Why is the season so short? Anyway, my Noles made the playoffs despite themselves and the hatred of much of the football world. Ohio State did the expected and leapfrogged TCU and Baylor. I felt really bad for those teams. TCU got moved into 3rd more to punish FSU for winning ugly than to reward their play, I think, and then when the Noles had the audacity to win, along with OSU kicking the shit out of Wisconsin, they committee was stuck. That's my theory anyway. My dad and bro are OSU grads, so the family is well represented in the playoffs! Could be fun, if we're not both one and done. haha We shall see!**

**In fantasy news, my 8th ranked Pey-a-Ton of Benjamins got into the playoffs and DEFEATED the #1 seed! Thank you, LeVeon Bell, Julio Jones and the Rams D! They did this, btw, with Peyton Manning pulling in 2 points. 2! I was beyond shocked, but thrilled. Most of my other teams kickoff their playoff run today, so we'll see how it goes!**

**Okay, lots of reviews last week with a certain theory...let's see if you were right. More below!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 15

"It's about damn time." My brother practically sprinted into the dining room as we walked down the stairs. "I mean, really, your entire family is here starving to death. Can't you keep it in your pants until later like a civilized person?"

"Look who's talking, douche. Who kept us all waiting the day of my high school graduation because you were getting-"

"La la la, I can't hear you! Come along, Rosie, it's time for dinner. _Finally._ "

Blondie stopped in the doorway. "I think I'd like to hear this story."

"You may, but I'm not sure I want to," my mother said, shaking her head.

"I want to," Dad interjected, looking hopeful.

Mom sighed while Emmett sent me a death glare. "Everybody take your seats."

"You can sit by me, Edward!" Jasper patted the chair next to him, like I was a fucking dog getting ready to obey.

I started to head to the other side, but Shorty took the seat I was aiming for, and the only spot with two seats open was Jasper's. Of fucking course.

I knew better than to suggest that Reed Girl take the seat. Plus, my mother was motioning her over, looking eager as hell. Wedding talk was about to commence, I could fucking sense that shit already. And I'd rather have my girl dealing with that than me.

Two hours. I repeated that to myself as I slipped into the seat. Jasper was fucking glowing, looking almost as happy as Reed Girl had when I'd fucked her senseless.

Mom served up everybody, and just as I took my first bite of awesome lasagna, she turned to us. "So, are we ready to set a date?"

Damn, could I even get a little food in my stomach before she started in on wedding shit?

"Uhh…" I glanced at Reed Girl, who looked a little pale. She reached for her water glass and took a big gulp. Guess she was leaving it to me. "We haven't really had time…"

"You only have time if you make it," she scolded us. "Now, as requested, I've added a new subheading to the book for destination weddings." And damned if she didn't whip that fucking book of hers out from under her chair. What the fuck? Where had that been hidden?

"I get to be best man! Right, Edward?" Jasper was practically tugging on my sleeve he was so fucking excited.

"Fuck, I don't know. I haven't thought about it."

My mom glared at me. "Language!"

"I'm his best man. I'm in charge of the bachelor party," my brother informed us around a mouthful of garlic bread.

"You don't get to talk about wedding planning since you planned yours on the back of a cocktail napkin in Vegas," Mom told him with a raised eyebrow. Then she turned back to us and smiled. "We can fine tune those details later. Right now, we really need a venue and a date."

"You're going to be mine," Jasper said sulkily.

What the fuck? "I'm not going to be yours. I'm Reed Girl's."

His brow furrowed. "You can't be Reed Girl's best man. You're marrying her."

Oh, fucking hell. "I thought you meant…never mind what I thought you meant."

Reed Girl giggled next to me.

I poked her. "You could help out here."

She shrugged. "I don't know what your schedule is next year, or mine for that matter. I think we should pick a date after we know those things."

"But that's not until January!" Mom sounded scandalized. "How can we possibly plan a wedding in a few months' time?"

"How hard could it be? We make reservations, fly wherever, Bella gets a dress, we eat. Seems pretty easy to me," I said. All the women at the table shot me incredulous looks. "What?"

"Spoken like a man," Shorty told us with a shake of her head. "Jasper and I aren't getting married until May second, 2016, but I've already got the venue set, my dress picked out, and their dresses picked out." She pointed to Reed Girl and Blondie. "I've got a ton of websites marked with bouquets and wedding cakes, and I've emailed about thirty photographers for information."

That was fucking insane. "You've got two years, and you've done all that shit?"

"Wife is very organized," Jasper informed us.

"Okay, and what have you contributed to all this planning?" Clearly he hadn't done shit. Shorty probably wouldn't let him. Women planned the weddings. Guys showed up. Everybody knew this.

"I'm in charge of the playlist for the reception. I'm finding meaningful songs. Plus, I'm writing a poem." Of fucking course he was.

"You're letting him read one of his ridiculous poems at your wedding?"

"Well, really, it's his vows, but if he wants to do it in poetic form, I'm okay with that." Shorty blew Jasper a kiss, which he returned with a bright grin. "And he's helping with the flowers. Jaspy has a very artistic soul."

Artistic soul my ass. I'd heard his poems.

"Roses are red, violets are blue. Today we wed and say I do," Jasper blurted out. "That's what I have so far." Unbelievable.

Shorty clapped her hands. "Jaspy! I love it!"

I turned to Reed Girl. "You don't want poem vows, do you?"

She shook her head. "No, I think we can stick to traditional. I can't trust that you won't slip an F bomb into your vows otherwise."

That was probably true. "That should be part of the vows, though." I waggled my eyebrows at Reed Girl, making her chuckle.

"Absolutely not." My mom pointed a warning finger at me.

"I can work it into mine, I bet. There are a lot of words that rhyme with that," Jasper suggested, making everyone but my mother and Shorty laugh.

"Jaspy! My parents will be there!"

"They love me," he pointed out, which was shockingly true. I wasn't sure why, but Shorty's parents were thrilled that she and Jasper were getting married.

"Well, they won't like you if you use that in our vows, trust me!"

"Okay."

"How did this become about their wedding instead of yours?" Mom demanded, banging the table.

I didn't have the answer to that, but I kind of liked it. "Because they have their shit together and we don't. Then again, Shorty's been planning her wedding since birth."

"It's true," Jasper agreed. "She has magazine pictures that aren't even in style anymore."

"What's old is new again, Jaspy," Shorty told him with a glare.

"I wasn't criticizing, Wife. I love it. I need your guidance."

She melted at that one. "And I need you, Jaspy."

Lord. I pushed my plate away. Reed Girl did the same. "Dinner was great, Mom. We're gonna go upstairs and look at your special book and try to hammer out some details on our own, okay?"

Emmett snorted. "Sure you are."

"I don't think you'll find your location in Bella's discarded clothes, but you can sure try," Blondie suggested.

I flipped them off before scooping up the wedding bible that now weighed another five pounds. "We will, I promise."

"Thanks for dinner, Esme," Reed Girl told her with a smile. "It was delicious."

"Are you sure you had enough, dear? You barely ate."

Reed Girl chuckled. "I overdid it with the cookies." She slid her hand into mine. "We can talk more about it tomorrow. Edward has to be up bright and early."

"What time do we have to leave?" Jasper asked, practically bouncing in his seat in excitement.

"Seven," I told him, expecting an argument but not getting one.

We said our goodnights and headed upstairs. I tossed the wedding book on my bed, surprised when the bed springs didn't break under the weight of it.

"Do we really have to look at that now?" my girl asked, eying it like it was a live bomb.

"Fuck, no. What's she going to do if we don't have an answer tomorrow?" I shoved the thing off the bed, and it made a loud-ass thump when it hit the floor.

"Sure, you can run to practice and leave me with the inquisition."

I cupped her face in my hands. "Do you need me to tell her to back off, baby? She's excited and she doesn't have a daughter, plus Emmett already got married, so she's going overboard with us. I can tell her to back off."

She sighed. "It's not like my mom is all into wedding planning. It's just that there's so much we don't know yet. It's hard to plan right now."

"You want to marry me?"

"Of course!"

"Then that's all that matters. We pick a time and a place, and she'll get off our backs. Take her dress shopping or something tomorrow. That will make her happy as hell."

"Maybe." She wrapped her arms around me. "Wedding talk is stressful."

"It's a good thing I know how to de-stress you." I scooped her up and placed her on the bed. "How about I get to work on that?"

She grinned up at me. "How about you do?"

"My pleasure, baby. And yours, of course."

It took no time at all to drive the wedding out of her mind. I was good like that.

Xoxoxoxox

The last thing I wanted to do at six a.m. was get up, but when my alarm went off, I made myself sit up. I glanced over to see if it had awakened Reed Girl, but she wasn't in bed with me. What the fuck?

"Bella?"

"Yeah?" She came out of the bathroom, dressed in the sexy purple nightie she'd slipped on for me the night before.

"What are you doing up so early?" I asked as she slid back into bed.

"Had to go to the bathroom," she mumbled.

"And brush your teeth?" I asked when the minty smell hit me.

"Uh-huh." She buried her head underneath the pillow, so I didn't bother questioning her any further. My girl liked her sleep.

I got up and got around, going downstairs to find Jasper bouncing off the walls.

"Is it different from college practices?" he asked as I drove toward the hotel.

"Not really. We spend more hours studying film, but practice is mostly the same. A bit harder, I guess."

"Cool. Thanks for bringing me with you."

"You want to know what's in store for you if you get drafted?"

He shrugged. "I don't know if I will. I might be a late rounder, they're saying? Maybe if I come back for another year. But Wife wants to graduate together and get out of school."

I glanced at him, surprised. "You're good enough to make a team."

He grinned at that. "That might be the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

It probably was. "Don't let it go to your head."

"Too late." He fired off a text on his phone. "I tweeted that."

I rolled my eyes. "Good for you."

"Anyway, I can make a team, but can I start? Not likely. Not my first year, for sure. I'm not as good as you are."

Well, that went without saying. "You could get close, with some work. Besides, you might end up someone's backup, but you're only an injury or a benching away from being a starter."

"Maybe. It's not my passion like it is yours."

This was news to me. "What is your passion?"

"Besides Ali?" I snorted at that. "I'll have my Psych degree. I'd like to go on and get a master's."

I often forgot that Jasper had a decent brain in his head, when it wasn't fried. "A master's in Psychology? Do you want to be a doctor?"

"Maybe. You don't need a medical degree to be a psychologist. Or I may go into counseling."

Jasper helping people. I had a hard time imagining that.

"Why?"

"Because I like people. I like getting to know what makes them tick. And I get people. I get you."

"You will never get me."

He laughed at that. "Who helped you when you were falling for Reed Girl?"

"You were barely coherent then."

"But I still helped. And now I am coherent. Imagine how much better I can be."

I wasn't arguing with his nonsense. We got to the hotel in time and took the team bus over to the practice field.

Sammy came jogging up to us. "Cullen! And hey, you're Jasper. How are you doing, man?"

Jasper shot him a tight smile but shook his hand. "I'm good. How are you?"

"Great, thanks. So Edward brought you to show you how the pros get it done, huh?"

"Something like that," he muttered.

"Well, when you get done with the boring quarterback meetings, come find me. I'll show you how the most exciting players work out."

"Edward's the most exciting," Jasper announced loudly.

Fucking hell. I winced when several of my teammates snickered.

"Goes without saying. We'll find you," I assured him, dragging Jasper over to where my quarterbacks' coach was waiting.

Jasper actually held his own during the game film breakdown. He'd learned what to look for and made some suggestions that we were able to implement into our own gameplan.

"That was so much fun!" he exclaimed when we came out of the meeting room.

I had to laugh at his ass. "If you enjoy it so much, why do you always ask for my advice before your games?"

"Because I like watching your tape." Of fucking course he did. "You're the best."

Well, fuck, that was flattering. "Thanks."

"No need to thank me. That's what best friends are for."

I wasn't sure what to say to that, but thankfully I was saved when Sammy and Paul came jogging up to me.

"How was it?" Sammy asked, slapping a football into my hands.

"Not bad." I glanced at Jasper. "He found a flaw in their secondary that I think we can totally exploit. Hendricks keeps his feet going a second too long on his backpedal. If you juke him, you should be able to blow right by him."

"Nice," Paul said, giving Jasper a high five.

"Yeah, thanks, dude." Sammy held out his hand, but Jasper just sent him a nod and that same damn smile he'd given him earlier.

Sammy raised an eyebrow at me, and I shrugged. Who knew what the fuck his issue was? I never wasted time trying to figure out Jasper. He was just too damn weird.

"So, are you gonna invite us over to hang with the family tonight?" Sammy asked me. "I could use some of Mom's home cooking!"

"She's not your mother," Jasper hissed before I could respond.

Paul shook his head and immediately jogged away from whatever drama was about to be unleashed.

"A fact with which I'm well aware, trust me," Sammy said, holding up his hands in a sign of surrender. "I just call her Mom because she sends us all cookies through Edward. We love her."

"She doesn't send me a care package," Jasper muttered, looking more than a little put out.

"Um, why would she?" I asked, despite myself.

"I don't know. It would just be nice."

Paul shifted his feet. "Right. So, Jasper, did Edward tell you about Rainbow's latest antics? She really took care of Heidi. It was so-"

"Nobody has to tell me what Rainbow does. I know Rainbow," Jasper interrupted, glaring at Sammy.

"Dude, what the hell is your problem?" I asked, because damn. He was acting like a pissy bitch for some odd reason.

"I don't have a problem. He has the problem." Jasper pointed at Sammy, who blinked in surprise.

"Me? What did I do? I don't have a problem."

"Yes. You're trying to steal my best friend, and I don't like it. That's the problem."

Fucking hell. Jasper was nose to nose with Sammy, who was looking at me for advice on how to handle the situation.

"Jasper, get out of his face. Nobody is trying to steal me."

"Yes, he is. You're with him every single day."

"He's my teammate. Of course I see him every day."

"But you hang out together all the time! And he's trying to tell me all about you and Rainbow. I've known you since the beginning! Before even Reed Girl. He doesn't get to replace me."

"I'm just gonna go," Sammy told us, backing away from the crazy, ranting idiot next to me.

Christ. What the fuck was I supposed to do with this nonsense?

"What brought that on?" I asked, knowing that I only had a few minutes to deal with whatever the shit was before I had to get back to practice.

"He keeps rubbing your friendship in my face."

"Um, no, he doesn't. Sammy's just trying to be nice and include you."

Glittering blue eyes met mine. "Because I'm not part of your life anymore?"

"Of course you are." Kill me now. "Just because I don't see you much doesn't mean that you're being replaced. I still call and text, don't I?"

He shrugged. "I guess. But it's not the same. You guys get to hang out and have fun all the time. It sucks."

"What, am I supposed to not have friends on my team? How fucked up would that be?"

He rolled his eyes. "Of course you're supposed to have friends."

Well then?

"Not _best_ friends, though."

Christ. He was such a fucking girl sometimes. "Sammy's not my best friend." He was on the team, but I surely wasn't about to say that and have him pitch a fucking fit. "You are, I guess."

"I am?" He started to smile, and before I could evade, threw his arms around me. "For real?"

Fuck this noise. I quickly broke his hold and stepped back. "You are if you don't fucking hug me in public ever again."

He frowned at that. "I don't know if I can agree to that. I'm very affectionate. Wife can tell you-"

"Wife can tell me nothing about that. No hugs in front of the team. No exceptions."

"What about when you win the Super Bowl? Can I hug you in front of them then?" he asked, looking perfectly serious except for a slight twitching of his lips.

I didn't have time for this shit. "Fine."

"Okay. Deal." He held out his hand, and I shook it, keeping myself poised to run if he went for the hug again.

"Now, will you stop acting like a pussy in front of my teammates? They're going to think you're my fucking girlfriend or something."

"I'll be cool."

I shot him a disbelieving look.

"What? I can be. I'll even throw Sammy some passes to help him warm up for you. That should be okay, right?"

"Fine. Whatever."

Jasper took the ball from me and let it fly, right past Sammy's head, who of course wasn't looking for it.

"Sorry!" Jasper called. "My bad!"

"Dude, not cool. I need him to be healthy tomorrow. You missed him by an inch."

"And we both know if I was aiming for his head, I would have hit him. It's all good. I'll play nice with your lesser friends."

"Did you say loser?" I demanded. Nobody was going to fuck with my teammates in my earshot. Nobody.

"I said lesser. As in less than me on the friendship hierarchy. There's me, and then there's everyone else."

Freak. "Reed Girl is always number one."

He tilted his head and thought about that for a few seconds. "Okay, that's acceptable."

"Good. Now can I get ready for my game?"

He beamed at me. "Absolutely! I can't wait to see you win!"

"Just remember. No hugs." I'd be reiterating that shit at every opportunity.

"No hugs. I'll save them up for when you win the big one."

I didn't even want to think about that shit. "Let's get to work. I can't win the big one without winning tomorrow."

"Okay! Let's do it!"

He ran over and said something to Sammy, who nodded and gave him a half smile.

Crisis diverted, for now at least. Who knew my football life would be such a fucking soap opera? Thank fuck real life was far less dramatic, at least with Reed Girl. Who needed all that chaos? Not me, that was for fucking sure.

Xoxoxoxoxox

This was it. I was back in my hometown, the stadium was loud, my family was in attendance, and it was all down to me. I'd rocked this whole game, completing twenty-two of twenty-eight passes for three touchdowns and no picks. Everything had gone just as I'd planned it, except for the fact that Bortles was matching me touchdown for touchdown. Yeah, he'd thrown one pick, but we were down twenty-seven to twenty-four with three minutes to go because the defense hadn't done dick all day.

We got the ball at the thirty-three, and I took the field. I couldn't see my girl, but I knew where she was sitting, so I looked that way and sent her a small head nod. Whether she'd see it or not I couldn't say, but I felt better for having done it.

I got the ball and dropped back, firing off a quick slant to Jennings for seven yards. Next I handed it to him and picked up the first down with a gain of four on the run. Another run had us at midfield at the two-minute warning.

Sammy jogged over to the sideline. "Am I on, or am I on? Jazz was totally right about Hendricks. Keep it coming!"

Jazz? I wasn't even going to ask. I looked to Coach.

"They'll be looking for it, but if you can make the pass, do it. If not, quick out to Call."

Awesome. We took the field again, and I sent Sammy and Paul out on long patterns. Neither was open, so I fired the ball to Embry for a quick gain of thirteen.

The next play was it. Sammy juked Hendricks right out of his shoes, and I let the ball fly just as the blitzing corner came at me. He pulled up before slamming into me and getting a penalty, but it was too late for him to stop the ball sailing right into Sammy's hands. He flew into the end zone, and after the kick, we had a four-point lead with a minute to go.

I hated being on the sidelines in that final minute, watching as the defense played soft, letting them pick up yardage but having the clock tick down. Their Hail Mary attempt was batted away in the end zone, leaving us a winner.

xoxoxoxoxox

I hurried through showers and post-game crap. The team was heading home today, but I had gotten authorization to fly home on my own on Monday. I'd arranged to meet my family at a local restaurant so I could hook up with Reed Girl.

"You were great!" Reed Girl threw her arms around me.

I kissed her hard. "Just wait until we're alone, and I'll show you how great I am."

A derisive sniff met my pronouncement, and I glanced over. "Grandmother." What was she doing there?

"Edward." She offered her cheek for a kiss. Gross. I barely put my lips against the withered old skin.

"Grandfather." I shook his hand before getting engulfed in my mother's embrace. Dad quickly followed.

I stepped back and eyed Jasper, who was hovering nearby. He smiled and congratulated me but didn't go in for the hug. Thank God.

Dinner was a stilted affair, thanks mostly to the presence of the Grandmonster. I did find it odd that Jasper sat next to her and the two of them seemed to have plenty to say to each other the whole time.

"What's up with that?" I asked Shorty, who was on my right.

She smiled. "Everyone loves Jaspy."

Oh sure. Whatever. It kept her off my back. She'd congratulated me on my win and seemed to pay sharp attention whenever the wedding came up, but thankfully she kept her mouth shut.

Reed Girl gave me the high sign, so we said our goodbyes and I sped to the hotel she'd arranged as a surprise for me. I couldn't fucking wait until we were alone again. We checked in with no problem, and as soon as the door closed, I pulled her against me.

"To the victor," I started, making her laugh lightly, but she nudged me aside and headed toward the bed.

"A woman after my own heart." No preliminaries, just getting down to business.

"Not quite yet." She shifted nervously before patting the bed. I wasn't sure what was up, but I did know that my stomach started to flip like it did before a particularly big game.

"Is this about the wedding?" I asked. Was she anxious to avoid the topic for a reason? Every time it came up, she changed the subject or deferred to me. She said she still wanted to marry me, but she was acting weird.

"Not exactly."

Fuck sitting. I paced in front of her. "Not exactly what? You don't want to get married? You don't want me?" I felt fucking sick. I was going to puke, and she was going to dump my ass. Fan-fucking-tastic.

"Of course not!" She reached out and grabbed my hand. "You know I love you. I want to marry you more than anything. We just can't set a date right now."

"Why the fuck not? Because of our schedules? Fuck that noise. We'll make time to be free. I have plenty of time this offseason, and your job will accommodate us or we'll tell them to fuck off and find you a better job." Anyone with an ear would want her. She was talented as hell.

"Edward, would you sit down? I can't talk to you with you looming over me."

Right, I was supposed to sit. I was too busy trying to figure out what the fuck was wrong. I sat down next to her, and she wrapped her arms around me. I wanted to do the same, but I really couldn't move with her pinning my arms to my side.

"Okay, remember how we said the other night that sometimes surprises were a good thing?"

Of course I remembered. She'd surprised me with her sexy purple nightie. That was perfection. "Yes."

"Well, I have something to tell you, and while it's not planned, I think it's a good thing."

Okay. Well, she wouldn't think anything was good that broke us up, so that was something. "Reed Girl, if you're not ending it, then I can handle anything you can throw at me."

"Anything?" she asked.

"Anything."

She took a deep breath and released her hold on me before standing in front of me. She put her hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes. "Remember you said that."

I sighed. "Reed Girl, just put me out of my misery and tell me."

She gave me a tentative smile and her eyes looked suspiciously shiny. "I'm pregnant."

_Holy fuck.  
_

**A/N 2: No surprise to most of you, I know! Okay, just a few short words because there were a few you of that vehemently begged me not to go there with our couple, though the majority were excited about it, I think. I've had words like "cliche" tossed at me which I just don't understand. Not sure what's cliche about a couple getting pregnant unexpectedly. My sister-in-law did, without forgetting her pill. Same with one of my best friends. And the story was always going in this direction, because the thought of my Cockyback stumbling into and through fatherhood gave me countless amounts of joy. Along with the idea of Uncle's Jaspy & Emmett kicking in with the fun. Not to mention a certain possessive kitty having to share her favorite person in the world! Haha Forget what Edward thinks, what's Rainbow gonna do?  
**

**Next chapter is one of my favorites thus far and I hope you like it. I've never written pregnancy beyond an outtake chapter or two, so I'm excited to explore something that will be new for me. To those of you that may choose not to continue, thanks for reading this far and enjoying a second go-round with these characters with me. As always, I appreciate you all!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N Happy Football day! Did you guys watch the games yesterday? They were actually really good. Desperation time of year, always good to see who's going to show up and who's going to crash and burn (that would be you, Eagles. Yikes!)  
**

**I actually could have gone to the Green Bay/Tampa game today but the fact that it was going to be a blowout, coupled with the likelihood of rain and my friend having plans that I wasn't all too keen on and the fact that it's the fantasy finals and I have 5 teams competing for championships means that I'm staying home on my ass, answering reviews, Skyping with Mary and Kaia (sassy Skype Sundays!) and watching ALLLLL the games. It's my heaven, you know!  
**

**And before I forget, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and all that good stuff! I'm planning on keeping my regular posting schedule, but this is my chance to say it before the 25th! I have two glorious weeks off and I'm loving it already! I hope everybody has wonderful holidays and awesome family time!**

**Thank you all for the support last week! I know I wasn't subtle about the baby news, I wasn't trying to be :) And it was only a couple of people who weren't overly happy about it and may have walked away. I wasn't looking for validation with my note, I just wanted to let them know, sincerely, that I respected their choice. We all have things we don't like to read and I more than understand that. I'm pretty picky myself! But I'm glad many of you are excited for what's ahead. I think it'll be a fun ride. And without further ado, reaction, part 1. haha There will be more to come, of course! I hope you enjoy!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 16

I just stared at her, speechless. I wasn't sure what to say. What _could_ I say? I mean, I wanted to ask who the father was, but that was a knee-jerk reaction that would probably cost me both my balls and my fiancée. Reed Girl would never cheat on me, so I was the father. A father. Me. Holy fucking shit. It wasn't possible.

Reed Girl just stood there, biting her lip and fidgeting nervously as her shiny brown eyes moved over my face. What was she looking for? Answers? I didn't have any answers. My mind was going at about a billion miles a minute.

"Are you okay?" she asked, touching my cheek lightly.

Was I? I didn't know. Probably I should be asking her that question, since she was pregnant and all. Pregnant. Jesus fucking Christ. My baby was inside her, instead of me being inside her like I was supposed to be, which really fucking sucked. My eyes found her still-flat stomach, trying to imagine it growing bigger with a baby. Fuck. I should probably say something.

"How?" came out of my mouth before I could stop myself.

Her lips twitched. "I happen to know that you're well aware of the process of how a baby is made. We've done the deed countless times."

"Well, yeah, but we've never accidentally made a baby. How did it happen? Did you…fuck. Did you go off your pills and not tell me?"

Suddenly the hand on my cheek gripped my chin roughly and her eyes narrowed into angry slits.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't ask me that question." Her voice shook a little, despite the tone of voice that told me I'd fucked up royally. "You know, I've done nothing but think of how this would go for the past couple of weeks, and somehow I always knew you'd say something that would piss me off. So, I swore that I'd give you one free pass. You get to make exactly one stupid comment, which you just did, and I will forgive and forget. Now, Champ, suck it up and deal with it just like I have."

It was probably wrong that I kind of wanted to tumble her onto the bed and fuck her senseless right now, because she was epically hot when she was pissed off at me. It was wrong, and I couldn't do it. She was going to be a mother, for crying out loud. I couldn't fuck her hard when my baby was growing inside her. Fucking hell.

"Now, I believe you asked me how this happened. Surely you recall my visit just before the season started, when I came up for my audition."

Of course I remembered…hell. "You forgot your pills."

"Yes. But I didn't stop taking them on purpose. Jerk."

All right, realistically I knew that. She knew that question had more to do with the girls I'd fucked before she came along. I couldn't help it.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm just shocked. We used condoms." Condoms had betrayed me. I was suing the ever-living shit out of Trojan. They fucking lied about preventing pregnancy.

Reed Girl sighed and sat down next to me. "Yeah, we did. All but that one time."

"What one time?" I hadn't even fucked her in the shower or bathtub because of the damn condom thing. Fucking useless pieces of rubber.

"That one time right after the massages, when we made love on the couch."

But surely we had…fuck. We hadn't. I hadn't even thought about it. I was just so used to fucking her whenever and wherever the mood struck. I'd forgotten. We'd both forgotten.

I had no idea what to say. I went over her words again and again in my head. Pregnant. A baby. Ours. She'd expected me to say something stupid and fuck shit up. And I had. Of course I fucking had. We hadn't planned this. Babies were supposed to be a decade off. Not months from now. Months…

"How long have you known?"

She blew out a breath. "I began to suspect about three weeks ago, although I went into denial about it myself for about a week. Then I took the test and couldn't deny it any longer."

Three weeks. She'd known for three fucking weeks. "Why didn't you tell me?" Maybe if I'd had some time to process it on my own, I wouldn't have said the wrong shit tonight.

She shook her head. "It wasn't the kind of news that I wanted to deliver over Skype or on the phone. I knew it was going to freak you out and I wanted to be with you when I told you, so we could deal with it together."

Of course she did. Reed Girl knew me really well. She'd known I was going to think and say stupid shit. It really sucked that I'd lived down to her expectations. I looked into her eyes and saw the shimmer of tears there. Fucking hell. I pulled her to me, and she threw her arms around me, holding on tightly.

"Are you okay?" I asked, rubbing her back lightly and running my fingers through the ends of her silky hair.

"I will be," she murmured against my neck. I was pretty sure the wetness I felt there wasn't from her lips. Fuck. I hated when she cried.

"Damn right you will be, baby." Baby. That word again. Fuck.

She pulled back, and I brushed the few tears that had escaped off her cheeks. Trust my girl not to totally lose her shit. A few tears and she was okay again.

"I thought about telling you on Friday night, but I really didn't want to distract from your game."

Of course she hadn't. She knew how excited I'd been to win in my hometown. So she'd suffered through hours of wedding talk with her big secret…wait a minute.

"So, why don't you want to marry me? Isn't this a big reason why people get married in the first place?" I gestured at her stomach when I said that, and she smacked my hand away. Oops.

"First of all, you asked me to marry you before I was pregnant, so that's obviously not why we were getting married." And she was pissed at me again. That tone was trouble. "Second of all, your mom is talking April and May weddings, when I'll be big as a house. I am not getting married looking like a beached whale. Thirdly, I didn't even know if you'd still want to marry me." And with that last declaration, she gasped and threw her hand over her mouth.

Fuck. "Are you going to be sick?" Pregnant women puked all the time, didn't they? I mean, I hadn't been around any, much to my utter relief, but I'd seen it in TV and the movies and shit. I hoped to fuck she wasn't going to ralph all over me and the bed.

"No. I'm okay. I didn't mean to say that last part."

Okay, thank fuck she wasn't going to be sick. Because I had shit to say and I didn't want to say it while she was puking over a toilet or, God forbid, me.

"You may not have meant to say it, but you must have been thinking it. You think I won't want to marry you now, when you're pregnant with my kid?" Now I was sort of pissed off. Did she think I was that much of an asshole?

"I don't really think that, but I guess I've kind of been afraid of it." She put her hand on my knee. "I've had a lot of bad moments alone late at night in bed, imagining the best-case scenario and the worst-case, and everything in between really. It's hard to shut off my mind."

That I understood. Mine was still whirling. And maybe I didn't know what the fuck we were going to do about this baby thing, but I did know one thing absolutely. "You're it for me, Reed Girl. I'd want to marry you even if the entire Swedish Bikini Team came knocking on my door."

She laughed. "You had that one at the ready a little too quickly, Cullen."

"Hey, we all have our fantasies." Reed Girl was smiling again, and that made me feel good. God, I was such a pussy. "Swedish team aside, you're my girl. Always. And whatever we go through, we go through together, right?"

"Yes." She linked her fingers with mine. "I know that in here." She pointed to her heart. "It was my head that kept telling me that you might run the minute I said the word pregnant."

I got that. "If you'd been any other girl than you, I probably would have done that. Right now I can't really wrap my head around it."

"Tell me about it." She put her free hand on her stomach. "It's still very surreal to me. When the doctor confirmed it and showed me-"

"You saw it?" I interrupted, feeling, shit, I didn't know what I was feeling.

"Not really. The doctor showed me where the baby was going to be. There's some kind of sac that I didn't really see but I pretended to. In a couple weeks, I should be able to see the actual baby."

A sac? What the fuck? That sounded gross as hell. Then again, so did seeing the baby before it was truly a baby. I'd seen movies and pictures and shit. They looked like aliens at first. Still, it sucked that Reed Girl had been alone. Or had she?

"Did you tell Blondie and Shorty? Did they go with you?" I wasn't sure why that annoyed me, because I didn't want her to be alone for shit like that, but I should have been the one there.

"No, Edward. You're the first person I've told. I wasn't going to say anything to anyone until you knew."

That was good. Maybe. "Because you thought I should be the first to know or because you thought I was going to be a dick and leave you?"

She sighed. "Because you're the father and of course you should be the first to know. If I truly thought you were going to be a dick and leave me, I would have told them and had them with me for moral support if you did."

"Or so Blondie would kick my ass."

"That, too." She kissed my cheek. "I told you, I only thought that late at night when I was alone, scared and nauseated. I truly knew you wouldn't leave me over this. But I didn't know how you'd feel about it, either."

I _didn't_ know how I felt about it. I just knew how I felt about her. "I don't really know. I think I need time to wrap my head around the whole thing."

Reed Girl nodded. "Believe me, I get that. I'm still not completely there myself." She looked down at our joined hands. "I know it's not at all what we planned. Do you…not want it?"

Do I not…oh. Fuck. "Do you not want it?"

"I want it," she said softly, still not looking at me. "It's us. You and me together. I can't imagine not wanting that, but I know we didn't plan on this for quite a while, so I'm asking what you want."

I couldn't say why, exactly, but I knew I felt relieved at her words. "It was supposed to be a decade from now."

She let out a soft laugh at that and finally looked at me. "It was never going to be a decade. But a few years at least."

I had to smile at that. Of course she'd planned to fuck with my timetable. She'd done that from the beginning.

"So, we're doing things out of order again. Won't be the first time, seeing as we had sex before I even knew your name."

"Who says that was out of order for you?" she asked, full on laughing when I started to tickle her.

I pinned her to the bed before I remembered. "Shit! You're pregnant!" I got the hell off of her as fast as I could.

"Yes, we've been discussing that." Reed Girl stared up at me, looking confused. "Why are you all the way over there?"

"Couldn't I hurt the baby or something? I don't want to squish it."

She laughed. "Edward, I told you, it's just this sac at this point. There's nothing to squish. And pregnant women have sex all the time."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "If you recall, we had sex Friday night and last night. Lots of it."

I did recall that. I recalled that very well. "But I didn't know you were pregnant then."

She smirked at me. "Are you saying that now that you know, you're not going to touch me? Because we have a good seven months to get through, and I don't think I could deal with that long a wait. Maybe I'll have to leave you."

Her eyes were twinkling as she laughed at my ass. "Like hell you will. You're mine. And you're having my baby. You don't get to go anywhere."

"I wouldn't want to," she told me with a smile, holding her hands out to me.

I took them and pulled her into my arms, kissing her for the first time since she'd told me about the baby. It felt so fucking good to have her close, where she belonged. I probably should have kissed her earlier. Damn. I kept fucking shit up. That ended now. Maybe I wasn't ready to deal with this baby business, but I could work up to that. Reed Girl was the important thing right now.

I lifted her and gently set her back down on the bed. Maybe I couldn't hurt the baby inside her, but I wasn't going to risk it by being too rough either. I got into bed next to her, and she immediately curled into me. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her to me.

"I'm sorry that you had to endure all that wedding talk," I told her after a few minutes of silence.

"Don't be. I felt guilty as hell, knowing that the timeframe wouldn't work. I didn't want to ruin your mom's happiness. She's having the time of her life planning it and now-"

"Now we plan something else. It's no big deal."

She laughed. "It will be to your mother. She already got robbed of one wedding, remember?"

"Yeah, but when we tell her she's going to have her first grandchild, she'll forget all about weddings. Then it'll be baby showers and cribs and shit." Fuck, that was terrifying. I didn't want to think about that shit yet.

"Probably. You should have seen her at the bridal shop, though. She cried every time I tried on a dress. And when I tried on _the_ dress, she lost it."

Hold up. "You found a dress?"

I felt her shrug. "Sort of. I found the perfect dress if I weren't pregnant. There's no way I'm going to order something now that won't fit me in a few months. And if we're going to wait until after the baby, then it'll be training camp time and then the season, so…" She trailed off. "I can't decide on something like that now."

Wait a fucking minute. "Are you saying we're not getting married until over a year from now? Fuck that noise."

She sat up and glared down at me. "I already told you I'm not getting married while I'm huge. I'm not due until the end of May. There's no way I'll lose enough weight before football starts up again. Unless you want to have a quickie wedding on your bye week, we'd have to wait until January or February, depending on playoffs."

First, it was awesome that she was considering that I might get into the playoffs that quickly. Second, no fucking way was I waiting another year until she was officially my wife. Bye week my ass. Wait a minute…

"My bye week."

She rolled her eyes. "We can hardly plan that when we don't know when it'll be. They don't set schedules this early."

I shook my head. "Not that bye week. This bye week. Next month."

She stared at me like I'd just announced that I was giving up sex for the rest of my life.

"You want to get married next month?"

"Yes." I really fucking did now that I knew that I'd have to wait a billion years if I didn't. "Think about it. You won't be-" I broke off before I said the word fat. I wouldn't live to see my kid if I said that shit out loud "-looking pregnant yet, so you can get the dress you loved. I'll have a whole week off, so I can fly down, we can get married and have a little bit of a honeymoon at least. It works perfectly."

"In what world do you think I could get a dress that quickly? Or find a venue that will host it?"

She was truly baffling. "You said you found the dress. Just go back tomorrow and get it."

"Edward! You don't just walk out of a store with a dress. You have to be sized and then get it altered. It takes months."

Fuck that noise, too. "I bet if you throw enough money at them, they'll find a way to size it in the month they have."

She ignored me and went right on with her objections. "Also, any decent place to have a wedding is booked well in advance. We can't just walk in and demand that they marry us, unless we go to a courthouse. And we won't survive that, Edward. Your mother will kill you. She'll let me live because of the baby, but I'll be a widow before I'm even married."

Reed Girl was really fucking cute when she rambled. I kissed her both because she was cute as hell and to shut her up. She melted into me, sighing when I pulled away.

"Yeah, most places will be booked on the weekend." Even I knew weddings were usually on Saturdays. "So, we'll get married on a Monday or something. And we'll do it on the beach. We're in Florida, for fuck's sake. We'll have an outdoor wedding at some hotel and get rooms there. It's not the month-long honeymoon I figured on, but we'll make it work."

She bit her lip. "I don't know how it's possible."

"You did see that giant wedding book my mother is carting around, didn't you? Surely somewhere in there is a place that can accommodate us."

"Maybe, but…"

Fuck this noise. "You said you wanted to marry me, right?"

"You know I do."

"And you don't want to be f-"

She smacked me. "If you say the word fat, I swear to God, I'll hurt you. It's called showing."

I was extremely glad she stopped me before I said that word. "Showing, then. You don't want to be showing that you're pregnant. And you don't want to wait a whole year, do you? Do you want our kid to actually be in our wedding?" I knew some people did that, and that was fine and all, but I didn't want to wait a fucking year for her to be my wife. I'd waited long enough already.

"Not really. I just don't see how I can pull it off. Because you can say that I should throw money at people, and maybe that'll work, but you're going to be off playing football while I try to plan a wedding in a month's time, and do my school work, and grow a baby inside of me? That's a lot to ask, isn't it?"

Her voice was rising on each word. Shit. I wasn't trying to stress her ass out. I was trying to give her what she wanted. Why did babies have to complicate every damn thing?

"Okay, so we get my mom to do it. She's already done all the legwork anyway. Let her call and make shit happen. She'll be more than happy to, especially once she knows you're knocked up."

"Nice." She frowned at me, but I could tell she was considering it. "She _would_ be good at getting things together."

Damn right she would. "Do you really want to spend months planning shit, nitpicking over what color the napkins should be and if the flowers match the dresses? That's not you, and it's sure as fuck not me. If I had my way, we'd go to a courthouse and get it done, but I want you to have the kind of wedding you deserve."

"Just get it done?"

Crap. "You know what I mean. I want to marry you. I don't care where or how it happens, just that it does."

"Are you doing this because of the baby? I don't want you to marry me faster because I'm pregnant."

Fucking hell. I'd never understand the way girls thought, and thank fuck for that. Confusing as hell. "I would have married you already if I wasn't afraid of my mother removing vital body parts that I can't live without. I want to marry you. End of story, really. I'd rather it be sooner than later. If you want to wait the whole year, then we can."

"I don't want to wait. I just-" That was all I needed to hear.

"Enough said. Do you care if I tell my mother we're having a baby?"

"Well, usually you wait until the second trimester, but under the circumstances, I don't see why not."

Trimester? Jesus fucking Christ, I didn't want to think about trimesters, whatever that meant. I whipped out my phone.

"Hello?"

I slapped that shit on speaker so Bella could hear. "Hi, Mom."

Reed Girl took a deep breath next to me.

"Good news. We've picked a date."

"Oh, good! When were you thinking? I have to tell you, May is such a lovely month for a wedding. The flowers-"

Yeah, I had to nip that shit in the bud right away. "We're getting married the second week of November, during my bye week. You pick the place and the day."

There was a long pause before my mother laughed. "Edward, don't mess with me. I know you've been annoyed at my planning, but that doesn't mean you have to screw around."

"I'm not screwing around. I'm serious. Bella and I are getting married next month. If you want it to be the big to-do you've been harping at us about, you need to get planning."

"Edward Anthony Cullen! This isn't amusing. I know you boys live to tease me, but this is not the sort of thing you joke about."

"Mom, I'm not joking. Bella's pregnant and we're getting married next month."

My girl pressed her face into my shoulder.

"What?" Mom gasped. "A baby? Carlisle! We're having a baby!"

I swear to fuck I heard, "Oh, no!" followed by a thud in the background.

"Not we, we. Edward and Bella, we!" Mom said, sounding all weird and breathy and shit. "A grandchild. Get off the floor!"

"God, woman! You nearly gave me a heart attack! Give me that phone."

Reed Girl and I both shook with laughter at my father's reaction.

"Well, it finally happened. I have to say, I'm glad you waited until you were in your twenties, at least. I feared you knocking up a girl from the time you were fifteen on."

"I didn't knock up any girl. I knocked up my fiancée. And you love her."

"That I do. Is she okay? Has she seen a doctor?"

Reed Girl looked up from my shoulder. "I have. We're due at the end of May. Everything is fine."

"That's good news. Congratulations to you both. Your mother is about to steal the phone from me, so know that I'm very happy for you. Damn, woman, calm down."

"Give me that phone! Oh, Edward! A baby! I just can't wait to go shopping! When do you think you'll find out the sex?" Sex? Holy fuck, she was already off and running.

"Mom. Focus. We want to get married in a month, remember? Can you make it happen, or not?"

"Well, of course I can, baby! I've planned charity dinners and garden parties for hundreds of people. If you want a wedding next month, you'll have one!"

"Told you," I muttered to Bella.

"Is she there? Sweet girl! I'm so happy! I can't wait to give you a big hug. Are you eating right? I can call my nutritionist, and we'll work out a menu that will keep you fit and fine! A baby!"

"Mom. She's all good. She wants that dress she tried on yesterday and-"

"Oh! It's so perfect! She'll be so beautiful! And with that pregnancy glow! I can't even…" She started sobbing on the other end of the line. Holy fuck.

"On that note, we're going to go. You can get to work on everything and just let us know who can accommodate us that week and when, and we'll take it from there. Call that bridal shop and offer them whatever they need to make Bella's dress on time." Seriously, she bought dresses from stores all the time without getting them altered. This bridal business was bullshit.

"I will! Oh, baby! I'm so happy! It's going to be a beautiful wedding, just you wait and see! Bella, you drink plenty of water, keep yourself good and hydrated! I'll call the shop tomorrow and get things rolling! Both of you watch your e-mail; I'll be sending you information!"

"Thanks, Mom." I disconnected before she started sobbing again. "See? No problem."

Reed Girl laughed. "She's probably going to buy our first baby presents tomorrow."

"No, she'll do it tonight. My dad's black card is probably already smoking."

She smiled. "So, we're really doing this?"

"We're doing this." I was going to be a husband in a month's time. And a father seven or so months after that. Holy shit. Things were officially getting crazy.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N Happy Football Day! Actually, not so happy since it's the last day of the regular season. Where did it all go? How can we be to the playoffs already? Will Tampa screw the pooch and beat the hapless Saints and lose the number one pick? These are the things that are plaguing me at the start of the day AND unexpected parental visit is going to interfere with me seeing everything play out!**

**Mini-rant. I came home from the parents on Friday morning. Outdoor turned indoor kitten did fine all by herself while the big cats were with me. Next goal: to be able to touch her so I can get her to the vet. Fun! Anyway, yesterday while I'm writing for the first time all week, phone rings. Mom is there announcing they'll be here at noon today to help my brother and his wife buy a car. That's awesome, except I don't feel like doing a parental clean with like no notice. So here's hoping I don't get bitched at (but I will). Also, you know what a looooong boring process car buying is. I hope they have a TV, that's all I'm saying. Why I'm being dragged along is beyond me. Sheesh.**

**Fantasy faillllllllllll. As you may remember (if you bother to read my rambles, haha) I had 5 teams in championship games. Team Watt's Up Cock? the leader out of the gate at 14-1, crashed and burned thanks to Andrew Luck's awesome 2 point performance against the Cowboys. Needless to say, I have a new captain of my Hate League team next year. Do any of you have happen to know Andrew? Hmmm? Because him getting kicked in the groin wouldn't upset me overly much. hehe I kid. Sort of. But really, he fucked me hard, not in the good way. Then along came Peyton Manning and the 2 championships that I had in the bag went bye bye when he threw two picks at the end of the game, one being a pick 6, and I was against the Cincy D in both games. I lost by .2 and .4. Soul crushing, people. Soul crushing. So I thought I went 0-5 until I logged on in the morning and saw that somehow, some way, team Ladies and Edelman, a 3rd place team, managed to knock off a number 1 by a measly 1 point! So I went 1-4. Still awful, but less awful because I won something.**

**Did everyone that celebrated have a good Christmas? I did, for the most part, except that Santa brought me a cold along with my other goodies. Still getting over it (and another reason that cleaning just doesn't do it for me). I hope that you all had a great one and that the New Year sees you happy and healthy. I'll stop talking now. More reactions ahead along with some not-so-helpful help from a couple of bumbling idiots ;) See you next week!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 17

Whoever the fuck was banging on my hotel room door was going to get their ass handed to them. Reed Girl mumbled something before burrowing her head under the pillow, of course leaving me to deal with whomever had the fucking indecency to be knocking at…holy shit, six thirty in the morning on my fucking off day. Someone was going to die.

I rolled out of bed and grabbed the discarded boxers that had somehow landed on the lamp on the nightstand. Well, I knew how it happened, of course. And that shit made me smile. Even though I'd been reluctant to do anything sexual after Reed Girl dropped her baby bomb, she'd convinced me in quite the satisfying way that for now, the baby didn't have to change shit. And apparently I'd better take advantage of the next seven months before the kid came along. Kids were the ultimate cockblockers. All the screaming and pooping and…fuck. I didn't want to think about it now.

The pounding still hadn't stopped, so I hurried to the door and yanked it open. "What the fu-" I broke off when two whirlwinds dashed past me.

"Bella! Oh my God, Bella!"

Fucking hell. Shorty was loud as shit at this ungodly hour. "She's sleeping. Would you quiet the fuck down before you wake up whomever you haven't already disturbed in the entire hotel? All three of them."

Shorty put her hands on her hips and glared at me. "Listen, you! We have a billion things to do if you want to get married in a few weeks. Weeks! Do you know how much there is to accomplish?"

No. Thank fuck. I did not. And I didn't want to know. I grabbed my wallet off the desk and dug out my black card. "Here you go. Have fun."

Blondie snorted while Shorty snatched the card out of my hands practically before I finished speaking. "You sure do know how to make women insane, Cullen. Your mom hasn't slept all night, and I'm pretty sure Alice hasn't either."

"There's no time, Rose! We've compiled a list of local places to call as soon as they open today. Then we've got to consider food, music, flowers, pictures, décor…"

Shorty was on a fucking roll. I had to cut her off. "Look, all you need to do is find a place that has a hotel on site. We'll stay there. Eat their food. We don't have to have catering and all that crap."

Shorty's mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. She looked a lot like that fucking ridiculous singing bass that Emmett had to have years ago.

"That's not…ugh! Men! You don't have a clue, do you?"

I sure as fuck didn't. And I wasn't the least bit sorry about that. "Listen, we just want something nice but simple. Reed Girl isn't you, you know? Just find a place and get her the dress she loves. Find a photographer. The rest is all just noise."

"Do you or do you not want her to have a perfect wedding? Just because you're rushing because of the baby…"

Fuck. "My mom told you?"

Blondie sighed. "To be fair, she didn't intend to. We came in just as she was telling your father to open a bank account for Baby Cullen."

Of fucking course she did. The kid was still just a sac but was probably already a millionaire.

"I knew I wasn't pregnant, and they were entirely too calm for it to be their baby, so we figured it out by process of elimination."

"Yeah, we knew Bella had been having mood swings lately. I was wondering if she was pregnant before all this wedding stuff came out."

"Mood swings?" I asked Shorty. What was she talking about?

Blondie and Shorty exchanged a glance. "She's just been lonelier, you know? A little weepy now and then. We thought she was just missing you."

Of course she fucking was. My girl was alone in Tally with a baby growing inside her while I was a thousand miles away. Fucking hell. The timing of this baby was shitty. This wouldn't do at all.

"Look. I can't be there, no matter how fucking much I wish I could. Can't one or both of you move in with her? I'll pay your rent and gas and whatever else you need."

"That's sweet, but I don't need a babysitter." We all looked over to the doorway where Reed Girl stood, looking sexy as hell in my black button-down shirt. "Rose is married to your brother, and Alice is engaged to Jasper. You can't ask them to uproot themselves for two months. That's just silly."

"I totally could do it!" Shorty ran over and threw her arms around Reed Girl. "Oh, Bella! I'm so excited for you! A baby! I'm going to spoil her rotten."

Her? What was this _her_ shit? Fuck that noise. "We're having a boy."

All three of them stared at me.

"And just how do you know that?" Blondie asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

I just did. I couldn't have a girl. A girl was unfathomable, really. "All the Cullens are boys. It's tradition." That was true. There was a long line of Cullen men. Women were few and far between.

Reed Girl chuckled. "Well, girl or boy, I don't need a babysitter. Thank you, Alice, but we all know you need to keep your eyes on Jasper."

Shorty giggled. "Jaspy's under control. He hasn't smoked in months, and he's all about football right now. He probably wouldn't notice I was gone. He'd just bug Edward if he got bored."

And fuck that noise, too. "Nope. It's fine. I'll hire someone. Mom mentioned she knew a nutritionist." That would be good for a pregnant woman, right? To have someone telling her the best things to eat. I needed to get Mom on that.

Reed Girl walked over and wrapped her arms around me. "Edward, I love you."

Damn right she did. "I love you, too."

"I know. And I know that you're feeling guilty that I'm alone and you're so far away from me, but I don't need a nutritionist to come babysit me either. I eat well. And I've got some baby books, so I'll read up on what I should and shouldn't be doing. The Internet is full of advice. You don't have to worry about me."

As if that was possible. "But Shorty said you'd been weepy lately." Weepy meant crying, and I fucking hated when she cried. Especially if she was crying because of me.

"Well, of course I have. I'm pregnant. Pregnant women have all these weird hormones in their body, and sometimes they have to cry. Or laugh. Or scream. It's part of the package. But I'm not upset. Not now that I know you're all in with me."

There it was. She'd been so worried that I'd lose my shit over this baby business that she'd cried God knew how many times.

"Well, you can stop worrying about that and just take care of yourself."

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me. "I will. And you stop worrying about me and take care of yourself. You have several big games coming up, and you need to focus. I'll be fine. These two and the boys won't give me a moment's peace, and you know it."

"We won't! We have a ton to do, anyway! I'll be over all the time. She'll want time alone, trust me," Shorty vowed.

"Speaking of time alone, why are you guys here so early?" Reed Girl asked, glancing at the clock and wincing.

It had been a long night for both of us, first with the talking and then with the fucking. We were both wiped out, with good reason.

"Because we have to get going! Get dressed!" Shorty attempted to steer Reed Girl into the bedroom, but we held on to one another.

"Where could we possibly have to go at seven in the morning?" Reed Girl asked. Good fucking question.

"Esme tracked down the owner of the dress shop last night. She's agreed to open early so you can try on your dress and get measured so they can get started on it immediately. And she's hooking us up with someone who runs a boutique with tons of bridesmaid's dresses. Rose and I need our dresses, too. Plus Esme can get her dress. So can Renee."

"Renee?" My girl went pale, and I tightened my grip on her in case she was about to faint. Was she going to puke? Fucking hell. There was a trashcan by the desk. I could get it to her in two seconds.

"Does she know?" My girl's voice was strained. I didn't like it.

"God, no!" Blondie shook her head. "We didn't know what you wanted to tell your parents. Esme just called to tell her we were doing the dress thing today and asked if she wanted to tag along. She said yes, but we didn't tell her about the date or anything."

"What's wrong, baby? Don't you want her to know?"

Reed Girl sighed and rested her head on my chest. "I'll tell her. I just…you know her. She'll either freak out about being too young to be a grandmother, or she'll scream it from the rooftops. My mother goes to extremes."

That was true. Renee was something else.

"I'd just like to get through the wedding without her making some sort of scene. And if she knows I'm pregnant, she'll make one."

"She's more likely to hit on me or my brother."

Reed Girl snorted at that. "Or your dad."

"I'll take that bitch down," Blondie said, making us all laugh. "Don't worry, Bella. We'll tell her the truth. You guys can't wait to get married, so we're doing it on Edward's bye week. Then when you graduate, you two can start your lives together without all those tedious details to worry about."

Reed Girl blew out a breath. "Okay. That works."

"Well, that's settled. Now hurry up and get dressed. The boys will be here any minute." Shorty finally got Reed Girl to release me and head to the bedroom to get dressed.

"Why are they coming?" I asked. Surely they weren't dress shopping. Well, honestly, I could see Jasper doing that shit. But not my brother. It wasn't his style.

"To hang with you while we get this whirlwind wedding started." Blondie looked to the doorway where Reed Girl and Shorty had disappeared. "We'll take care of her, Edward. I promise."

I tried my damndest to work up a smile for her. "I appreciate it. Thanks."

"How are you doing with all of this?"

I didn't need to ask what _this_ was. "I don't know. It seems like it's happening to someone other than me. I'm just focusing on her right now."

Blondie nodded. "You know, when I heard, a part of me wondered if you'd run for the hills once your head cleared a bit." Of fucking course she did. "But then I reminded myself that you turned out to be a far better boyfriend than I ever thought you would."

I gaped at her. A compliment from Blondie?

"Don't look at me like that. You're a good guy, Edward. And you'll be a good dad."

Holy fuck. That was unexpected. "How do you know?"

"Because you excel at everything you put your mind to. And she won't let you fail. None of us will."

I blew out a shaky breath. "That…thank you."

"Don't thank me. Just keep doing what you're doing. Be there for her. Show her you love her, even when you're not there. Maybe keep threatening to hire people to take care of her so she knows that you're thinking of her." We both laughed at that. "But seriously, we'll be there for her day and night if she needs anything that you can't provide due to distance. You can count on all of us."

I knew that, but it was good to hear. "I will. It's easier knowing you'll be there."

"She'll have more visitors than she knows what to do with." As soon as she said it, there was a knock on the door. "As you can see."

I went over to answer it and was immediately smacked in the face with a bunch of shiny fucking balloons. "Congratulations!" Arms were around me and balloons were tangled in between us.

"Jasper! You promised to cut out the hugging shit."

"We're not around your team, and it's a special occasion, Daddy!"

I managed to break his hold and bat the balloons out of the way. "Don't call me that. It's just wrong."

"But you're going to be one."

I didn't need a fucking reminder, thank you very much. Or a dozen balloons.

"I know. What is this shit?"

"Jasper insisted that we needed to celebrate." Emmett clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Always gotta one up me, huh, bro? I mention the idea of knocking Rosie up, and you and Bella run with it. I'm never going to be Mom's favorite son again."

"You never were, once I came along." He laughed and gave me a shove, but I held my ground. "And it's not my fault I'm better at everything than you are."

"Not everything, bro. I, at least, know how to use a condom."

"I used…never mind. Why are you here?"

"To keep you company while the girls shop. You don't take off until later, right?"

Crap. "Right."

Reed Girl and Shorty emerged from the bedroom then. Emmett swooped Reed Girl off her feet, and I immediately grabbed for her. "Dude! She's pregnant!"

"And I'm not a paper doll, Edward." Reed Girl hugged my stupid oaf of a brother. "It's good to see you."

"You too, Little Mama! How's my nephew doing in there?"

Reed Girl laughed. "Not you, too! How do you know it's a boy?"

"Cullens are boys. That's just the way it goes," Emmett told her, as I already had.

"Mmm hmm. Well, I'll take this maybe boy and go do some shopping while the rest of you boys do whatever it is you do. Thanks for the balloons, Jasper." She came over and kissed me. "I'll be back before you need to head to the airport."

"Well, we might not-"

Reed Girl cut Shorty off. "I'll be back. I promise."

I kissed her again. "Good. Have fun, baby."

"I will."

"Yeah, she will!" Shorty waved my card. "Let's go do some damage to Edward's bank account, girls."

Reed Girl shook her head. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

They left just as suddenly as they came, leaving me and the two morons standing around staring at each other. "You really don't have to keep me company. I could use the alone time to sleep."

"Really, bro? You can sleep while your girl is out cooking a baby and buying wedding dresses? I'd be freaking out if I were you."

Yeah, well, who had time? I sighed and sat on the couch. "I'm trying not to think about it."

"How can you not? A baby is coming! Your baby! While most kids were busy worrying about a monster in the closet or under the bed, we were worried about chicks bearing positive pregnancy tests!" My brother threw up his hands. "I'm not saying Bella's one of those girls, but you have to be scared as hell right now."

"Babies are a blessing. And Edward's baby is going to be awesome, just like he is," Jasper said. I noticed that he was still holding those fucking balloons. Clearly he hadn't outgrown his affinity for shiny shit after he got off the weed.

"I'm not freaking out, because I'm focusing on the now rather than the later. What's important right now is that I marry Reed Girl in the short timetable we have before she starts showing and the baby appears and the season starts and all that shit. She wants to be thin when we get married, so it's now or God knows when."

"She may never be thin again," my idiot brother announced.

I punched him in his bicep. "Shut the fuck up, dickhead. If you so much as suggest that around her, I'll kick your ass." Like Reed Girl needed more shit to worry about.

"I'm just saying, some never do. Babies stretch out their stomach and of course the pu-"

"Emmett, I swear to God, I'll call Mom and tell her you're the one who broke that vase that Dad bought her in Italy that she loved so damn much." I didn't need to worry about that shit. I had more than enough to think about without adding that to the mix.

"You wouldn't!" One look at my face gave him the answer he needed. "Fine. I was just trying to give you a safe place to talk about all your worries. You sure as hell can't tell her you're worried her body won't ever be the same."

"I wasn't worried about that until you came along! How is it helpful that you're throwing new shit at me when I haven't even wrapped my head around the other shit?"

"Motherhood is a beautiful thing. The stretch marks and anything else are just badges that show what a woman has endured to bring a new life into the world. She should be proud of them."

My brother and I turned to stare at Jasper, who in turn was still staring at the balloons.

"Where the fuck did that come from?" I asked, because he sounded like a goddamn Hallmark card or something.

"From here." He pointed at his head. "When Wife blesses me with a baby, I'm going to love every inch her stomach grows. Just like Edward's going to with Bella and you will with Rose. We don't love them because they're beautiful. We love them because of who they are. And that's only going to be more enhanced when they become mothers and when they get wrinkles and gray hair. None of our girls are going to look like they do now forever. Are you planning to leave Rose when her boobs start sagging and she starts growing hair in places that you never thought she'd grow hair before?"

My brother didn't look like he was capable of forming words. He just shook his head. It was rare for Jasper to make so much sense or at least to articulate it so clearly.

"Well, shit, Jasper, I guess you're right. I'd still be freaking out, though."

Jasper shrugged. "That's normal. But Edward and Bella aren't like most twenty-one-year-old parents-to-be, either. They don't have to worry about money, for one thing. Or deal with things like affording daycare and healthcare. They have steady jobs and can hire help for when Bella goes back to work. If she does."

Fuck. Bella and work. It hadn't even occurred to me that her job might be fucked up, too. Our kid had really shitty timing.

"We haven't even talked about her job."

"You have time. You'll figure it out," Jasper assured me. "I ordered you some baby books, by the way."

He did what, now? "Huh?"

" _What to Expect When You're Expecting,_ so you know what's happening inside of Bella, even when you're not there to experience it. _Belly Laughs, the Naked Truth About Pregnancy and Childbirth,_ which is supposed to be funny. I figure you can use some laughs when reading about shit like hemorrhoids."

Holy fucking shit. I had no words.

" _Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana: What to Name Your Baby Now, _assuming of course you don't want to name him or her Jasper or Jasmine."

"Emmett or Emily!" my brother boomed.

"Fuck and no," I told them both. Jesus Christ…Names? I wasn't ready for that either.

"And finally I got you _The Baby and Child Question and Answer Book,_ which teaches brand-new parents how to do all the things that they have no idea how to do, like diapering and burping and stuff. I actually got all of us copies of that, so we can help when the baby comes."

Holy shit. I couldn't feel my legs. I sank into the nearest chair and tried to wrap my head around all of it. I couldn't. Nope. Not yet. I wasn't ready.

"Here comes the freak out!" my brother announced gleefully.

No. I was not going to freak out. Reed Girl needed me to be calm and strong. She was both of those things, so I couldn't go around losing my shit while she didn't. I'd look ridiculous. I just needed to take a few deep breaths and find my focus. She was my focus. My Bella. I could do this shit because she'd be doing it with me. I could face anything with her. Even parenthood.

"No, he's not." Jasper nodded at me when I looked up. "You're going to be a great dad, Edward."

I swallowed, though my throat felt dry as sandpaper. "I'm sure as hell going to try."

He beamed at me. "Then you'll succeed. That's what you do."

Damn right. Edward Cullen was a winner. I could win at fatherhood just like I could football. I'd read Jasper's books and memorize that shit just like I did my playbook. I could do this. I didn't really have a choice, anyway. Baby Cullen was coming in seven months. God help us all.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N Happy Football Day...or days, these days! We're winding up both seasons and it sucks, but we'll enjoy the playoffs, right? Congrats to fans of the Panthers and Ravens for yesterdays wins. Gotta admit I expected more from the Steelers, but I was worried about the lack of Bell. And it did hurt them, a lot. Ill timed injuries, the worst!**

**Congrats also to the Duck and Buckeyes fans. My dad and brother are on cloud 9, for now! Seriously, how a team beats Bama with a 3rd string QB still baffles me, but there's magic there. And yes, I'm aware that my morons finally lost a game. Apparently people think this is funny to tease me with, for reasons I don't understand because I don't think I'm one of those obnoxious fans that rubs people's faces in it. Maybe I am and just don't know? You tell me! I didn't watch so I didn't have to get too mad about it, so there's that at least.**

**On the bright side for me, my Bucs managed to lose again last week, though they tried far too hard not to to make me happy. I didn't have to go car shopping (thank God because they were there for 3 hours) so I watched at home waiting for the call to head to bros. Got it around 3:30 and there I was in the car listening to the end of the game rooting for my own team to blow it. I legitimately cheered when McCown threw the pick. And I'm not lying when I say that when Jimmy Graham got hurt, I immediately yelled, "Throw it to Colston" which they did, for a TD. I fistpumped. haha I probably looked like an insane person cheering away in my car, against my own team, but it had to be done.**

**Anyway, good to luck to all of you with surviving teams! I'm just gonna enjoy the little bit of season we have left and start looking ahead to next. haha Go figure! This week features an answer on a question some of you have, along with the return of the furball. She's baaaaack! I hope you enjoy and I'll see you next week!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 18

It seemed like the girls were gone for-fucking-ever. Of course, maybe part of that was the company I kept. Jasper and Emmett kept tossing baby name suggestions at me, which was driving me nuts. The kid wasn't even a kid yet; how in the hell could we name it? And I certainly had no names picked out. Maybe Reed Girl did. Didn't some girls know their baby names before they even had a boyfriend? Like Shorty and her wedding. I bet Shorty had her kids names all picked out.

"What does Shorty want to name your kids?" I asked, stopping Jasper after his latest suggestion of Marley-after his hero, Bob, of course. Not gonna happen.

He looked blank. "I don't know. How do I not know that? She's got to have names picked out, doesn't she? Wait, you can't use Marley. I want to use Marley. If Wife approves."

Like we were going to use his stupid-ass names anyway. Like I was ready to think about names. At least he was now thinking about his own kid's names, rather than mine. My kid. Fuck. I'd never get my head around it.

What I needed, more than anything, was two fucking minutes to myself so I could have the freak out that everybody kept expecting me to have. How could I have it with all of them watching and waiting for me to say and do dumb things? And I really fucking wanted to, but I couldn't. Yet. This fucking sucked.

My mother had called or texted approximately fifty times with updates on dress selection, time lines, and meetings she had planned with various places in town, as well as closer to Tallahassee. Since Reed Girl couldn't take a whole week off school, we'd be having our honeymoon in our own apartment. Not exactly what I had in mind, but at least I'd have some time with my girl. As soon as the season was done, we'd take a couple of weeks somewhere to be alone. That I would fucking see to, pronto. Give us something to look forward to while the chaos continued around us.

"I don't see what's wrong with Emmett," my brother whined, still pouting over the fact that I wasn't naming my kid after him.

"First of all, if you want an Emmett, have your own. I'm not naming my kid after you. Besides, you already have a cat named after you."

"Yeah, a lame cat." Suddenly my brother burst out laughing. "Holy shit! What's Rainbow going to do about this new addition? Don't cats kill babies? I totally wouldn't put it past her."

Fucking hell. More shit to worry about. Rainbow wouldn't…would she?

"Cats don't kill babies. That's an old wives' tale," Jasper announced.

Thank fuck. If there was even a chance of that, Reed Girl would want to get rid of Rainbow. And I just couldn't. I needed Rainbow. Now more than ever, if I was being honest. I wanted her here right now so I could let out all this shit that was building up inside of me before I exploded.

"She needs to be up on her shots, which of course she is, because there are diseases that can be passed back and forth. And Bella can't clean the litter box. Apparently there's something called toxoplasmosis that can affect an unborn baby." Jasper looked up from his phone, which was apparently dialed in to all things baby. "The box is on you, Edward."

I shrugged. It wasn't like that was an issue. I'd had Rainbow alone for a few months now. I cleaned the box when I had to. Luckily, the housekeeper did a lot of that shit these days. I'd just make sure that Reed Girl didn't think about going near it.

"I still say Rainbow is gonna be pissed. She'll have to give up her room for the baby, not to mention having to share Edward." Emmett snorted. "Hell is going to rain down on you."

He was probably right. We'd long ago ruled out adding another pet for fear that Rainbow would kill it or at the very least traumatize the fuck out of it. I had a feeling Emmett Junior hid all the time because Rainbow had done something to him. Jasper's stupid cats were too brain dead to be bothered to hide, but they weren't normal either.

"The baby can take the guest room." Rainbow would still have her own room, and all would be well. Wouldn't it? Fuck. There was too much to think about.

"For now. But you can't raise a kid in that slick condo of yours. You need a yard and swing sets and parks and shit." Emmett nodded sagely. "You're going to have to move."

What the fuck? Now I had to move? I had to deal with a hormonal, pregnant fiancée, a wedding, a baby, a cat that might kill said baby, and now I had to fucking move? Not to mention the small task of quarterbacking an NFL team. It was too much. Fuck this noise. I couldn't do it.

I buried my face in my hands just as the door opened.

"Well, it's unbelievable but we just might…" Reed Girl broke off whatever she was saying. "What did you do?" she demanded.

I didn't even have the strength to lift my head to reassure her that I was okay. I wasn't. Apparently I'd never be okay again. Fatherhood. Who the fuck needed it?

"Nothing! We suggested baby names, and Jasper looked up information on whether Rainbow could kill the baby. I still say yes, even though the internet says it's not true. I was just telling Edward that you'd have to move so the kid could have a yard and all that good stuff. He made some strangled noise, and you came in."

"Thanks a lot."

I heard a smacking sound followed by a muffled shout from my brother. "Ow! What? I'm just trying to help, Rosie."

"You moron. He just found out five minutes ago that he was going to be a father. You don't have to have him worrying about swing sets when the baby doesn't even have legs yet."

"But-ow! Okay! Sorry, Edward."

I didn't respond. I felt Reed Girl's hand on my back and leaned into her, pressing my face to her stomach, where my kid was growing. Fucking hell.

"Everybody out. Wait for me downstairs."

"Is Edward going to be okay?" Jasper asked. "I was just trying to help. I told him Rainbow won't hurt the baby and that Bella can't change the cat litter. I didn't mean to make him worry."

"He'll be fine, Jaspy. You were very helpful, I'm sure. We'll just go down and wait for Bella."

Everybody moved out, apologizing along the way. I didn't bother to acknowledge them. I just let Reed Girl stroke her fingers through my hair.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone with them. I wasn't thinking."

Right. Like she needed to add worrying about me on top of her list of shit to deal with. I raised my head and looked up into her concerned brown eyes.

"No big deal. I'm fine."

She let out a short, disbelieving laugh. "Yeah, you look fine. I knew you were handling it way too well."

I was doing my best, damn it. I'd been okay until I'd started to worry that Rainbow would smother Emmett Jasper Cullen in his sleep in our new house in the suburbs with a big backyard and swing set. Fucking hell.

"Well, I'm sorry if it's a little overwhelming that we're having a baby, getting married, and now I have to find a new place for us to live. Not to mention worry about Rainbow killing our kid once we've had it! It's a little bit much to process, along with heading back to Jersey, leaving you behind, and trying to focus on the Raven's defense. Fuck!" My voice had gotten louder with each word.

Reed Girl kept right on running her fingers through my hair, scratching my scalp lightly. She knew that I loved that shit, and yes, sometimes it calmed me down. Not now, though.

"First of all, I'm not sure where you got the idea that you need to find us a new place to live, but you don't. I love our place."

"But there's no lawn for a swing set," I muttered, which made her laugh.

"And we have some time before we need to think about that. There's a park right down the street if we want to take the baby out." There was? Who knew?

"Second of all, Rainbow is not going to kill our baby. She'll love him or her because we'll love him or her and she'll take her cues from us. We'll likely have to introduce her to the idea slowly, but she'll come around, especially if the baby looks like you."

"But there's just so much-"

"Yes, there is. And we have seven months to figure it out. And then plenty of time after that to learn and deal with what comes along. Do you think I'm not overwhelmed?" She shook her head. "I've spent two weeks worrying about telling you about the baby; now I'm jumping straight into wedding planning. All while I'm working on graduating. Not to mention needing to start packing so I can move. Then there's the dream job that I can't take, the well-meaning but annoying and loveable friends and family pushing weddings and now baby stuff, Heidi the whore, being away from you…it's a lot. A whole lot. But I'm trying to take each a step at a time and deal with it."

Shit. She had even more on her plate than I did. And I was making it worse for her. "Is it too much? We could just say fuck it and go down to the courthouse. Or wait. Did I push you into getting married now?"

She smiled. "No. I want to marry you as soon as possible. And I want a real wedding, even if the courthouse would be more convenient. The best part of having well-meaning and annoying family and friends is that they go to bat for you when you need them. Your mother could command an army, I swear it. And Alice is ruthlessly planning every little detail she can. Rose runs interference when she feels they're overwhelming me. Honestly, there's very little I'm going to have to do…or that I'm being allowed to do. Your mother was quite quick to make sure I wasn't on my feet too much, and that I was well fed and hydrated."

Of course she was. My mom could move mountains if she wanted to. "I'm glad they're helping."

"Me too. We couldn't do it without them. I still want to do it, and I know it's not what we planned, but I'm glad I'm going to be your wife soon."

That I could easily agree with. "Me, too, baby." I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into my lap. "So, everything is moving ahead?"

She laughed. "At the speed of light. My dress is taken care of. Alterations will start immediately. Rose and Ali have theirs as well-not as much to do there, so it won't be a problem. Our mothers have dresses, and mine is on cloud nine."

I glanced at her.

"I told her about the baby. I'm not sure if she's more excited about the baby or for the fact that you're now tied to me irrevocably, at least financially."

Oh, boy. Fucking Renee. "She said that shit?"

"You know my mother. She has to think like the opportunistic gold-digger she is." Reed Girl shrugged. "She is happy about the baby for the baby's sake, though. That's about all I can ask."

No, it wasn't.

"Besides, your mother will make up for my mother's deficiencies as a grandmother and then some."

That went without saying. "She's probably already bought stuff."

Reed Girl laughed and reached into her purse, pulling out a little bib that said _Grandma loves me._ Naturally.

"It's safe to say that she's already planning a nursery for one of the guest rooms in her house. She knows that we'll decorate ours ourselves, but I told her she has carte blanche for her place."

Fucking hell. Decorating. More shit to think about.

Reed Girl took my face in her hands. "I know it's a lot to deal with. And I'm sorry that Jasper and Emmett threw extra things at you. But now is not the time to worry about baby names and moving. We'll name our child together, once we know what we're having. And we'll move when we're ready to move. We were never going to stay in our condo forever, but we have some time yet before we need to think about that."

Maybe, but there was plenty of other shit to worry about. "What about your job? You said you had to give it up? Why?"

Reed Girl sighed. "Could I go, play for a couple of months and then take several off to have the baby? Yes, likely. But do I honestly want to go back after he or she is born? And what about traveling? You have to travel for your job, and that's fine, but I can't imagine leaving a baby while I go to various cities throughout the state."

Fuck. "We could hire a nanny." We were doing that shit anyway, weren't we? But Reed Girl shook her head.

"I don't want somebody else raising our baby. I'm not saying we might not get some help. I'd be a fool not to consider that." She laughed. "But I'm not hiring someone to do it all for us." She put a hand on her still flat belly. "I'm excited to be a mom. I'm scared, of course, but I'm excited, too. I grew up with little parental supervision, as you know. I just can't imagine that for our baby."

No. I couldn't really imagine that either. "Are you sure you're okay with it, though? I mean, you worked hard with your music."

She smiled. "I'm sure. I've given it a lot of thought for the past couple of weeks, and I can still have my music. I'm going to throw myself into the Edward Cullen Foundation. So many schools have done away with music and arts programs. I want to bring that back. I think we can do a lot of good."

I had to smile at the happiness I heard in her voice. "You know that I'm more than ready to turn you over to Heidi, who, by the way, should be the least of your concerns." Yes, I'd paid attention to her worries. "Rainbow and I both dealt with her, and Coach knows about it now. If she does anything, again, I swear I'll see to it that she's gone." I wouldn't have Heidi upsetting my pregnant wife. Reed Girl didn't need to factor in to her list of shit on her mind.

"I'm not worried about her. If she comes near you again after the photo shoot, I'll be shocked. But if she does, I'll be there soon and I'll make damn sure she knows that you aren't an option for her."

"I'm not. And I made that pretty clear."

"I know, and I love you for it." She gave me a smacking kiss. "I know that this is unexpected and things are changing, but some of those changes will be for the better. Just you wait and see."

I hugged her to me. "I'm going to hold you to that." Reed Girl's confidence in me, in us, definitely made me feel a bit better.

"Just promise me that you'll talk to me when you're feeling overwhelmed. I don't want you shutting your feelings away just to spare me."

"I wouldn't do that." At her arch look, I laughed. "I wouldn't do too much of that."

"Yes, you would."

True.

"How do you feel about it? Other than freaked out, I mean. That's understandable and normal, under the circumstances."

I couldn't give her all of my feelings, since I didn't know what all of them were and she'd hate a couple of them. But I could give her some. "Honestly, I don't know how I feel. It's just surreal. Like I'm watching a movie of my life instead of living it. I'm just trying to focus on the now and on you." I felt like shit, but it was the truth. "The baby isn't real to me yet. I don't know."

Reed Girl smiled. "Of course it isn't. It's inside of me, and it's only real in concept to me right now. As it grows, it'll get real enough for both of us, I imagine."

Maybe. Hopefully. I didn't fucking know. "Probably. It's easier for me to just to focus on the wedding and stuff, to start."

"That works for me." She buried her head against my neck. "It's time for us to get back to reality, isn't it?"

I glanced at my watch. It was. "I hate leaving you like this."

She laughed. "Like what? Pregnant? It doesn't change anything at this point, Edward. I'm still going to school, playing my music, eating, and hanging with our friends. You're not missing anything."

"Just you," I said.

She kissed my neck before moving up to my lips. "And I'll miss you. But in less than a month, we'll be getting married. That's going to occupy all my thoughts for now."

I'd need to work on that, too. "Don't let them throw too much at you. If they do, call me and I'll set them straight."

"Count on it." She kissed me again. "Count on us. We can do anything. Even be parents. I know we can."

"I believe in you." Not so much me yet, but I knew Reed Girl could handle anything. She handled me, after all.

"And I believe in you." She stood and tugged me to my feet. "Now, it's time for you to go home and tell the other girl in your life all the things you don't want to tell me."

I opened my mouth to argue, but fuck, she was right. "I don't talk to Rainbow about stuff."

She laughed. "Yes, you do. You have from the very beginning. It works for you, and it's cute as hell. Give her a kiss for me."

"It's a head-butt."

She grinned. "Right. Head-butt her, then. Save the kisses for me."

Since it seemed the time, I gave her a big one. "I love you. Thanks for letting me vent a little."

"Always. I love you, too. Thanks for letting me do the same and for not running for the hills when Jasper and Emmett got a hold of you."

"Those assholes. I can't wait until they go through it. I'm going to laugh at their sorry asses."

"As well you should. You'll know the ropes by then and can lord it over them."

Yeah? That was actually pretty cool. "I'll do that." Something to look forward to, at least. That and the wedding. The rest…we'd see.

Xoxoxoxoxox

I hadn't even closed the door before Rainbow launched herself at me. I dropped my shit right there in the hallway and carried her to the couch. She head-butted me the whole way, and when we sat, I buried my face in her soft fur.

"Fuck, Rainbow. Do you know the weekend I had?" I mean, most of it was good. Reed Girl and I had lots of sex, which rocked. And I won, which also rocked. But then, the bomb hit.

She purred and rubbed against my face.

"Sure, you're happy now, but will you be when a baby is in the house? A screaming, pooping, cock-blocking little baby that will take time and attention away from you." I pulled her away from my face and looked her in her golden eyes. "You won't kill it, will you?"

She meowed, which I hoped was a no.

"See, here's the thing. It's not real to me. Like, the concept of the kid, I get. But the reality? That one will be here in seven months? I can't imagine it."

Rainbow just watched me with steady eyes. And because it was her, and she couldn't tell anyone or judge me for it, I admitted the big thing I hadn't admitted to Reed Girl.

"I don't love it yet. Am I supposed to? Like, you hear you're going to be a father… Shouldn't a light switch go off, and you love it before it's even here? It's like that in movies and TV and shit. Reed Girl loves it. I can tell, even though she didn't say so. Does that mean I'll be a shitty parent? Will she love the kid and I won't, so it'll grow up to hate me? See, I'm calling it an it. That's wrong, too, isn't it?"

Rainbow put a paw of support on my cheek.

"And Reed Girl will love the kid more than me. That's just the way it goes. And if she does, will I resent it? Will we fight? Will the kid run away from home and Reed Girl blame me? Maybe she'll leave me because I don't love our kid. She should leave me if I don't. There's something wrong with me, isn't there?"

Rainbow nipped my chin and gave me more head-butts.

"All right, but you're biased. You love me. I get it. And I learned to love you, even though I don't say that shit because you're a fucking cat. So, if I can love you, I'll love my kid eventually, right?"

I looked at Rainbow expectantly, and she meowed again. She agreed. Of fucking course she did. She always agreed with me.

"Reed Girl believes in me. Jasper does. Hell, even Blondie does. And I'm the first to believe in me most of the time, but right now? I don't know. And I hate fucking feeling that way."

I was Edward fucking Cullen. Confidence was my middle name. Where was it now?

"It's going to be okay, right?"

Rainbow meowed again before burrowing into me, burying her head in my neck.

"Yeah, I'd kind of like to hide away right now, too."

Unfortunately, it wasn't an option. I had to unpack, watch some game tape on the Ravens, and hit my e-mail for the billion or so messages that were sure to be waiting from Mom. I wasn't going to let all the wedding stuff fall on Reed Girl's shoulders. She had enough going on in her body without that added to it.

"Do you believe in me, Rainbow?"

She purred and burrowed in closer.

"You'd better be cool with this kid. God knows I'm going to need someone on my side through this whole parenting thing." A parent. Me. It was unbelievable. I was supposed to have years to get used to the idea. Not months.

"We're fucked, Rainbow."

She purred away, blissfully ignorant of what was to come. Lucky cat.

"Your life is going to change just as much as mine is soon enough. You'll see. Reality is coming, Rainbow. For both of us." Hopefully we would both be able to deal. Hopefully.

**A/N I hope you won't be too hard on Edward for not loving his baby yet. I feel like unexpected fathers need a little time to come around to that. Insta-love wouldn't feel real to me, at least, though I'm not a dude. Anyway, obviously he'll come around. He's already doing the right things, even if he doesn't think he is!** **He'll get there!**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N Happy Divisional Playoffs Day! How about that Ravens/Pats game yesterday? It was epic! I hope the other two today live up to that one. They have the potential to do so for sure. I'm psyched, how about you? Carolina played well in the first half yesterday but that one wasn't as exciting in the end. Except for Seattle fans I'm sure. Congrats Pats & Seahawks fans. Next week should be fun, regardless of who wins today! GB with a shot for revenge for the substitute refs game, or Dallas who actually beat Seattle in Seattle this year. Let the fun begin! Also, the very real possibility of Manning vs. Brady again. We don't have many more of those chances left. You know my fingers are crossed. (Sorry Colts fans, your QB screwed me out of my fantasy championship, I shall not root for him!)**

**And tomorrow we have the national championship game. Ohio State vs. Oregon. Who you got? I'll be at my brother's house, an Ohio State grad, so insanity will reign I imagine. Oregon seems like the favorite on paper but Ohio State seems to have magic this year. Third string QB? No problem! It'll be fun to watch it play out. Hope that's a great game as well!**

**I have a very big birthday hitting this week (one of the scarrrrrry birthdays) so I'm not sure how much writing I'm going to get done. There shouldn't be a delay in posting but just in case, wanted to warn you! I've got a couple chapters banked though, so we should be all good.**

**I'm glad you all understood where Edward was coming from last chapter. It does take time for men to wrap their head around a baby, especially an unexpected one. I was gratified to hear that even many of you had issues accepting a pregnancy early on. I'm so happy I got it right! Let's see what awaits Edward back at work. The return of a favorite character, and a not-so favorite character awaits! Enjoy!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 19

It was weird. While nothing had technically changed, especially here in Jersey, everything still felt different. I went back to work Tuesday morning as if my entire world hadn't shifted. I worked out with the boys, enduring their joking about not coming back with the team and what I had been doing. What had I been doing? Having my whole world rocked to the core, and not in the good way. Well, I'd had that, too, but it was easy to forget with the whole baby thing looming over my head.

Should I tell people? I didn't fucking know. Reed Girl said you usually waited a whole trimester, but seeing as half the world already knew and my mother was probably already telling the other half that didn't, shouldn't I say something?

Was it wrong to tell my teammates before we told Charlie? Reed Girl hadn't been up to another parental reveal after having endured her mother and mine for a few hours, so we were telling him tonight on Skype. Reed Girl wanted to see his face when we told him for some fucked-up reason. I was just glad he and his gun were on the other side of the country, to be honest. Not that he'd hurt his favorite football player, but still. It was always for the best that the father and the gun were far away when one told a man that his daughter was knocked up. That shit was just common sense.

"You look like you're a million miles away." Sammy fell into step beside me as we exited the practice field. We were breaking for lunch, and then it was game film time. "Or is it more like a thousand? Missing your girl?" he asked, shooting a wave to JPP as he jogged past.

Yes, I was definitely missing her. It was really fucked up to have my pregnant fiancée so far away. I felt guilty as hell strolling to eat my nutritionist-approved food while she was the one with the baby inside her. I really needed to send someone to monitor what she was eating. The baby was probably sucking up all her nutrients and shit. Wouldn't she need more vitamins and crap? Where were those fucking baby books Jasper had ordered? I needed some answers.

"Hello, earth to Edward! Are you in there?" Sammy waved his hand in front of my face.

"What? Shit. Sorry."

"Is everything okay?" He looked at me with concern. "You and Bella didn't break up or something, did you?"

"No. Why would you even ask that?" I couldn't keep the panic that question shot through me from coming out of my mouth.

"I don't know. You're out of it, and you look like you lost your best friend. I'm just wondering what's wrong with you."

"It's not…it's just…" Fuck it. I needed someone to talk to, and Sammy was here. I grabbed his arm and pulled him into the nearest meeting room, shutting the door behind me.

"Whoa, man. If you wanted me alone, you just had to say so." He laughed and held up his hands. "I'm sorry I missed that fifty-yard bomb you threw. Don't kick my ass."

The laugh stuck in my throat, and I shook my head.

"Hey, man. Whatever it is, I'll listen."

"Bella's pregnant." There, I said it. Yeah, I blurted that shit out just like I had at my parents, but it felt like the words just spewed out of my mouth.

Sammy stared at me for a few seconds. "Congratulations?"

I heard the question in his voice. See, he knew I was going to make a shitty father as well. His congratulations weren't even sincere.

"Why'd you say it like that?" I demanded, pointing at him. "Do you think I'm going to fuck it all up? My kid is going to hate me, isn't he?"

"Whoa! I didn't mean anything, man. It's just, you weren't coming off like you were all that thrilled about it. I didn't want to break out the cigars and champagne if you weren't in the mood for it."

I sighed and slumped into the nearest chair. Sammy sat down next to me.

"How do you feel about it?"

"What don't I feel?" I demanded, hating all the fucking feelings I had coursing through me. Life was way fucking easier when the only shit that mattered was football and getting laid. And just thinking that made me feel like shit because I wasn't sorry that Reed Girl came along and changed everything. I fucking loved her. I just hated all the crap that came with the knowledge that we were having a baby way earlier than planned.

"Guilty. I feel guilty as fuck that I'm up here while Bella's in Tallahassee all by herself. I feel like shit that I can't get excited about the kid. All I can do is worry about what could go wrong, like the kid will hate me and I'll hate it and then Bella will hate me for not loving our kid. Plus there's Rainbow, who might very well try to kill him."

Sammy snorted at that. "Please. Rainbow will love anything that came from you and Bella, just like you will."

But I didn't love it. Didn't he see that?

Sammy blew out a breath. "Look, man. I can't say I know what you're going through, because I haven't been there. Thank God." He chuckled at the glare I shot him. "But if I were, I imagine that I'd feel the same way you did; only I wouldn't be lucky enough that my baby mama happened to be the love of my life. You were going to have kids one day, right?"

"Of course. A long fucking time from now."

"So, you're ahead of schedule. What else is new? You were one of the youngest Heisman winners ever, along with national champion, along with being a starter the instant you were drafted. Face it, Cullen. You're an overachiever."

"That's me. Just beating everybody to the punch on the kid train."

Sammy shook his head. "You think you're the only one of us to have a surprise baby? Paul's got two kids, one in California and the other somewhere in the middle of the country."

Really? "I didn't know that."

Sammy nodded. "He sees them some during the offseason and pays a shit-ton of child support. So, it could be a lot worse. At least you love Bella and plan on marrying her. Maybe the little one is coming along a lot earlier than you planned, but he or she will be with the two of you. That's a real big improvement to what a lot of us have."

At my questioning look, he continued. "I was raised by a single mom. I don't even know who my dad is, though I'm told he was a stud football player. At least he gave me something, right?"

That was fucked up. "I'm sorry, dude."

He shrugged. "That shit stopped bothering me a long time ago. My point is, ready or not, your kid is coming, and you're going to be there for it. You'd be a moron not to be freaked out, but you aren't going to abandon it or be a fly-by father. It's already got a leg up on a lot of us."

That was true. "So it's normal to worry about every damn thing?"

He laughed. "Welcome to parenthood, son. Now tell me, how is the lovely Bella handling things?"

I snorted. "A lot better than I am, like always. She's freaked, of course, but she's dealing."

"Well, be sure to tell her if you're not willing to make an honest woman out of her-ouch, fucker!" He rubbed at the spot on his arm where I'd slugged him. "I was just trying to be there for her in her time of need."

"I'll show you a time of need. And, for your information, we're getting married during our bye week."

"No shit? Well, congratulations again! Am I invited or what?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "I thought you were going to spend the bye week on a beach in Miami, hooking up with any and every hot girl who looked your way?" He'd been rhapsodizing about that shit for weeks now.

"Well, this will be better, won't it? Or are you only inviting family?"

Fuck if I knew. I hadn't checked my e-mail yet today. I probably had a billion messages waiting. "We're still figuring everything out, but you're more than welcome to come. I'll give you the details once I have them."

Sammy grinned. "Awesome! I am really happy for you, man. I know it's a lot but you're one lucky fucker."

Maybe I was. "Thanks. Hey, listen, we're not really telling anyone about the baby yet. I mean, my parents know and hers will soon, plus our immediate friends, but…"

"I get it. My lips are sealed. Are you gonna invite anyone else from the team?"

I shrugged. "I hadn't really thought about it. It's been an insane couple of days, man."

He laughed. "I'll bet. Totally up to you. I'll keep talking about my Miami visit to throw them off."

I had to smile. "Well, you will be in Florida. Maybe you can swing by Miami and find a date."

He grinned. "Now, there's an idea! I'm starving, and we've got about fifteen minutes before meetings start. Shall we?"

Yeah, now that I'd told someone, I felt a lot better. And I was hungry. "Let's go."

On the way to the cafeteria, I fired off a text to Reed Girl.

_I told Sammy the news. He wants to come to the wedding. Cool?_

She'd replied by the time I sat down to eat.

_It's fine with me, but your mom is the one in charge of the guest list and everything else. You'd better tell her._

Fuck. Like I wanted to deal with my mom's insanity?

_Can't you do it? You're pregnant. She won't hurt you._

Sammy poked my side. "What has you smiling?"

Was I? Huh. How about that…

"Talking to Reed Girl."

"Figures. Tell her I said hi. And pass along my offer. She should know she has options."

I flipped him off as my phone dinged again.

_Don't be so sure of that. Last time we talked, she was muttering about buck-toothed caterers. I don't even want to know._

Crap. Neither did I.

_Fine, but if she kills me, all this planning will be for nothing._

I shoveled some chicken into my mouth.

_Point that out to her. It might make her spare you._

I couldn't help but laugh.

"What? Did she say yes?"

"Fuck no. She's making me deal with my mother."

Sammy laughed. "Good luck! Hey, is Mom going to make the food? Because then I'm even more there than I already was."

Shit. I could just see my mother cooking for the occasion. She'd murder all of us by the time the wedding rolled around.

"Hell no. She's angry about the caterer, though, apparently. I don't even want to know."

"Damn. Be thankful you're nowhere nearby."

"I am." I braced myself. "Here goes nothing."

_Hey, Mom. Sammy asked if he could come to the wedding. Is it okay to add one or two more people?_

There. I put it on his shoulders.

"Hey!" I looked up to see that Sammy was reading over my shoulder. "Why are you blaming me?"

"Because it's better you than me." That was my story and I was sticking to it.

My phone vibrated in my hand. Oh, hell no, I wasn't answering her call. I let that shit go to voice mail. Of course, it immediately rang again. And I ignored it.

_Edward Anthony Cullen, don't you dare ignore my phone calls. I know damn well you're available since you just sent me a text._

Hell no.

_Actually heading into meetings as we type. Just wanted to give you a head's up that Sammy wanted to come and see if maybe I could invite anyone else. If it's a no, it's fine._

Her response was immediate.

_Why don't you just invite the whole team? I'm sure it won't be difficult to accommodate fifty-plus with all the extra time you've given me._

Damn. Mom didn't get sarcastic often.

_So, that's a no, I take it? I can just tell Sammy to stick with his original plans._

"What's that face for?"

I glanced up at him. "I don't think…" My phone vibrated again.

_Of course Sammy can come. You don't disinvite people after you've already invited them, Edward. What kind of people do you think we are?_

Fucking hell.

 _Cra_ z _y people, clearly._

I shoved my food aside. It really was time to go to meetings, so I wasn't lying.

_Very funny. I've nearly got our venue nailed down. Don't invite anyone else until I give you the word. I have to see how many rooms are available._

Fine by me. I wasn't exactly anxious to cross the woman again.

_No problem. Thanks, Mom. You're the best. Love you!_

There, that shit always worked. When in trouble, tell Mom you love her.

_Don't you forget it. I love you, too, but only because you're giving me my precious grandchild. Otherwise I don't much like you today. We'll see how I feel about you tomorrow._

Damn. That was cold. I wondered how long the baby thing could get me out of trouble, though. Was there a time limit? Could I still use the kid against her when he was a teenager? Here's hoping. There needed to be some benefits to unexpected pregnancies, right?

Xoxoxoxoxo

"Cullen, can I talk to you for a second?" Coach approached before I could get out of the room. Fuck. We had twenty minutes before afternoon practice, and I really wanted to call and check on Reed Girl.

"Sure, what's up?"

He waited until everyone had shuffled out of the room before clearing his throat. "It would seem that the head of PR went to human resources to file a complaint against you."

All thoughts of weddings and babies flew out of my head. "What?"

He frowned. "Yeah, I know."

Fuck that noise. "Is she saying that I hit on her? Because you know that's complete bullshit. I wouldn't touch that whore with my brother's dick."

Coach actually smiled at that. "No. She's saying that your, er, cat, attacked her, unprovoked, and destroyed her property? I'm not really sure what that part's about."

I relaxed, marginally. "Rainbow scratched her bag and peed in it while I was off getting my picture taken. If she wants a few bucks to cover that, no problem."

"Well, that might help. But it seems like she's rather upset about it and demanding that your cat be handed over to animal services for being an unsafe animal."

I nearly laughed. I mean, really? But I could see that he was fucking serious. "Rainbow? My eight-pound cat is an unsafe animal? She's not confusing her for a fucking pit bull, is she?"

"The cat drew blood. I mean, the odds are she'd have a hard time getting her put down, but there could be an investigation."

My blood ran cold. Put down? Rainbow? As in, kill her? Fuck and no. I pushed to my feet and got right up in his face.

"Nobody is taking my cat away. That bitch tried to grab her, and Rainbow lashed out in self defense. I'll swear to it, and so will everybody that was there that day." They would, by God, or I'd kick the living shit out of any and all of them.

"Edward, calm down. I'm just telling you what the HR rep said. You know you humiliated her publicly, and I guess this is how she's trying to get back at you. It won't go anywhere."

Fucking right it wouldn't. "If she files one word of complaint, then I want to file a sexual harassment suit against her. And I want her fired."

Coach actually smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that. I've arranged a meeting with the rep in a few minutes, telling her we could easily clear the air without any need for animal services or lawsuits."

That was fucked up. "That bitch was going to sue me? Me?"

"If you pay for the bag, what could she possibly sue for? A scratch on her cheek? Don't sweat it."

Oh, but I was. With all the shit on my mind, this was the last fucking thing I needed.

"Let's get this shit done."

He eyed me. "Are you going to keep your cool?"

"What do you think?" I said through clenched teeth. I wasn't going to hit the bitch, because I didn't hit girls, even evil, spiteful, manipulative whores like Heidi.

"I think it's best if you let me do most of the talking," he suggested.

Like hell. But I followed him through the maze of offices into the head of human resources' office. Maggie McDowell. Hopefully she wasn't stupid enough to believe a word that Heidi had spouted.

My fists were clenched as I took a seat across the table from the blonde devil-woman. Some guy in a suit sat next to her-definitely a lawyer. Fuck. Should I have a lawyer?

The redhead at the head of the table cleared her throat. "Thank you for joining us, Mr. Cullen. It would seem that there was an incident last Thursday during a charity photo shoot?"

"A charity photo shoot that she arranged and pushed me into participating in, yes." I smirked when Heidi's blue eyes widened.

"Ahem. Yes. Well, Ms. Lowell claims that your cat attacked her."

"That would be incorrect. Hester over there attempted to take my cat away from me, resulting in my cat feeling threatened. She defended herself by scratching her across the cheek. It was hardly an attack of any kind." The bitch wouldn't be standing if Rainbow truly turned loose on her.

"My client's face was marred in the attack," the suit spoke up, gesturing to Heidi's face, where you could barely see a mark.

"If we're going to elevate simple scratches into attacks, then I'd be willing to say that she attempted to kidnap my cat. Perhaps I should press charges for attempted abduction."

Coach actually smothered a laugh next to me. "Edward," he murmured, shaking his head.

"What? My charge is no less ludicrous than hers! Do you see any marks on her? What's that, a tiny line? If you're looking at me to pay to fix your face, look elsewhere."

"There's nothing wrong with my face!" Psycho actually took out a mirror to look at herself.

"There. She just admitted there's nothing wrong with her face. Can I go now?" I demanded.

HR lady bit her lip. "Well…"

"There's also the matter of my client's property being destroyed."

Time to play dumb. "What property?"

"It would seem that her Herme's bag was scratched and urinated upon."

"Did she see my cat do such a thing?" I asked, because damned if I was going to give the bitch one red cent at this point. If she'd come to me, apologized for her bullshit, and asked, I would have gladly bought her a new bag. But she threw lawyers and HR at me? Fuck that noise.

The lawyer shifted in his seat. "Well, no, but…"

"And do you have any witnesses that saw my cat do anything?" There were witnesses, of course, but they were my teammates. I could depend on them not to rat on me, and even if they did, who gave a fuck? I'd pay her then.

"We haven't spoken to anybody, but I'm sure someone witnessed the incident."

I stood up. "Well, how about you give me a call if and when you find someone who saw my cat destroy any property? In the meantime, I have shit to do."

I started for the door before turning around and looking Heidi dead in the eye. "Have you told your lawyer and our HR rep about how you've repeatedly hit on me, only to be turned down every time?"

She winced. Her lawyer let out a soft groan.

"I didn't think so. If you'd left them out of it and faced me like a real m-human being, I would probably have bought you a new bag, and I never would have said a word about your harassment. But I'm sick of you getting into my face and disrespecting my relationship."

I looked at the HR lady. "What kind of paperwork do I need to fill out to ensure that I don't have to work with this woman again?"

Heidi let out a soft gasp. "Wait! Is that really necessary?"

"Was all this?" I demanded, gesturing at her lawyer. "Are you really that sad that you have to stoop to threatening to sue me and take away my pet? I've never done anything to you but say no. And no matter what you do, the answer is always going to be no. I have a wife and a baby on the way. I don't have time or interest in this crap, and neither does my Bella. We've got enough going on without manufactured bullshit stress."

Heidi gasped and she and her lawyer started whispering.

Coach came over and put a hand on my shoulder. "I thought I was going to do the talking."

"I never agreed to that," I pointed out, making him laugh.

The lawyer cleared his throat. "After consideration, my client is declining to pursue any charges."

Damn right she was. I started to push the door open.

"Now, wait just a minute. Some very serious accusations were just leveled in this room against your client, and I'm obligated to look into them," the HR lady said.

Heidi looked stricken, and her lawyer frowned.

"I don't want to press any charges." I watched as her shoulders sagged with relief. "I would, however, prefer any PR interactions that I do to be handled by someone else within the department."

"Are you sure, Mr. Cullen? It is imperative that anybody within our organization who feels threatened or harassed get the protection they deserve."

"I'm sure. I reserve the right to change my mind if the incidents continue?"

"Of course. I assume you have no problem handing Mr. Cullen's business over to someone else within your department?" she asked Heidi, who shook her head emphatically.

"No problem whatsoever."

"Well, then, I think we can go our separate ways. I truly hope that this is the last time we have to address any issues." Her eyes were on Heidi as she spoke.

I was quite fucking done. I stormed out of there, glaring at anybody who happened to be nearby as I strode past. Coach still managed to catch up to me.

"Congratulations."

I snorted. "For what? Managing not to get my ass sued?"

"No, for the baby."

I jerked in surprise. "What?"

He laughed. "You mentioned it in the room, unless you were lying, in which case, bravo on an incredible performance. I do love how you think on your feet."

Fucking hell. Of course I'd slipped and mentioned the baby. "I wasn't lying."

"Then congratulations for real. When are you due?"

"The end of May."

He smiled. "There's nothing like being a father. You'll find that all the stress just melts away when you get home and your little one comes running to greet you. I'm happy for you. And I think you'll find that Heidi won't be a problem for you anymore."

"I sure as fuck hope not."

"Take the rest of the day off and get out of here. Go home and call your girl, tell her that I said congratulations on the baby, and tell her how you defended your cat and your relationship today. That'll make her happy."

One less stress, at least. It would make Reed Girl happy. I'd tell her all about it, and then we'd call Charlie. And, more stress. Would it never end?

**A/N That's right, Charlie is coming up! I know many of you were looking forward to his reaction to the baby news. And Heidi? I think we can safely say that she's been handled. I don't think she wants to lose her job. I do love writing angry Edward, telling a girl to back off. So much fun! I hope you liked it and I'll see you next week!**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N Happy Conference Championship Day! I'm kinda sad that we didn't get one final Manning/Brady showdown (and it looks like it would have been final, unless Peyton comes back a lot healthier next year) but we have two fun match ups! Who you got? My money is on the home teams but I wouldn't be surprised if one of the roadies rose up and won. I don't know if Rodgers is healthy enough to deal with the Seattle defensive pass rush. Then we've got the young emerging superstar vs. the established aging one. Who wins? We shall see!**

**Congrats to my Buckeye fans! My brother was a wreck during the game. It was fun to watch and not be the one throwing tantrums over every play. haha But it clearly runs in our family! I have to admit, I thought Ohio State might win, but I certainly didn't imagine they would dominate the way they did. 4 turnovers and they still won by 22. It was impressive. And they're going to be better next year. Three starting QB's on one team, gotta be jealous of that! We'll see if Miller goes elsewhere though. The Noles are recruiting him, but do we really want him? I don't know.**

**Thank you all for the birthday wishes! I had a pretty good day. It started wayyyyy too early considering I had the day off and it was nonstop painting and mattress buying and such. But I got a new mattress (which isn't as comfy as it was in the store, so my sleep hasn't been that great yet, but it's only been a couple days) and had a great dinner and lovely time with the family. 40 doesn't feel any different than 39, so that's good :)  
**

**The week was utter chaos and as a result I didn't get to write at all, !I'm going to follow the cue of the NFL next week and take a week off posting before the big game hits. It'll give me time to get some more stockpiled, hopefully, and I can get to writing two very significant events we're all looking forward to! So, bear with me, I'll be back in 2 weeks! I've had a few of you ask how long this is going to be. The answer is, I don't know! I usually know about 5 chapters or so before the end and we're clearly not there yet, so we've got a ways to go :) Plenty ahead, that's all I can say!**

**Now, let's see what Bella has to say about the HR meeting and of course Charlie's reaction! See you for the Super Bowl!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 20

"Hi, beautiful."

Her face lit up when she came onto the computer screen. "Edward! What are you doing home so early?"

Just thinking about it pissed me off. I reached out to pet Rainbow just to remind myself that she wasn't going anywhere.

"Long day. Coach let me leave early." I'd tell her in a minute. First… "How are you feeling?"

She laughed lightly. "I feel fine. Was a little woozy this morning, but that's nothing new."

Woozy? "Did you get sick? Fall? Are you sure you're okay?" Fuck this noise. I was hiring her a live-in nurse. What if she fainted and lost the baby?

"Yes, I got sick. No, I didn't fall. I'm not delicate, Edward."

Like hell she wasn't. Mentally she was stronger than I was, but physically? Hell no. "I don't like it."

She shook her head. "I can't say that I enjoy puking overly much either, but it's par for the course."

"Maybe you're not eating right. I should really-"

"Edward, we've talked about this. You don't need to hire anyone to take care of me. I'm taking care of me, of us. We'll be fine." She put her hand over her stomach. It was so fucking weird thinking that there was a baby inside there. She didn't look any different yet.

"Are you getting enough rest? My mom isn't driving you insane is she? Shorty? I'll get my dad and Jasper on their asses and tell them to back off if I have to."

Reed Girl smiled. "They've got most everything under control. Read your e-mail. I've signed off on the location and all the other stuff they've decided. We should have turned the wedding over to them before this, even."

I had to laugh at that. "I told you that you didn't want to deal with all that bullshit any more than I did."

"No, I didn't. I wanted a pretty wedding, and they're going to make it happen. I don't care about all the details, so long as you're the one waiting for me at the end of the aisle."

Fuck. I wished she were here right now so I could kiss the shit out of her. "I'll be at the end of any aisle you, or they, choose."

Her gorgeous smile flashed. "I know you will. That's what's going to get us through every little headache. The knowledge that at the end of it all, it's just you and me."

Just me and her. That was really all of it. "I really can't fucking wait until you're officially a Cullen."

She smiled. "Me either. I'm actually glad it's working out so that we're getting married earlier, even though it's going to be hard to have you leave again."

Yeah. That was going to suck ass. "I'm going to hate it."

"I know. But other married couples endure longer separations than ours. Plus, I'm going to work hard to get my final composition done early. Then I can visit you more, at least."

That would be fucking awesome. "I can't wait, baby."

"I know. Now, can you tell me why you're holding Rainbow to you as if she's Bob the bear? You're not upset about the baby, are you?"

I glanced down to see that I was still holding on to Rainbow. Shockingly, she wasn't uttering a word of complaint either. She just leaned into me and watched me with trusting golden eyes. I scratched under her chin. She closed her eyes and started purring away.

"It's not about the baby." I eyed Reed Girl warily. Would what I was going to tell her upset her too much? I'd handled shit, but she had all those hormones and stuff floating around inside her. I didn't want to fuck things up for the baby.

She tilted her head. "What, then? Don't tell me that bitch came on to you again." Her eyes narrowed. "That's it, isn't it? I swear to fucking God, I'm getting on the next plane up there and putting her straight once and for all."

Fuck, I loved it when she got fired up. "She didn't come on to me." The look Reed Girl shot me was full of disbelief. "I swear. It was kind of worse, actually."

"What could be worse than her hitting on you again? Did she touch you?"

Best to just tell her. She might still want to come up and fuck up Heidi, and I probably wouldn't stop her. It was okay for Reed Girl to hit another girl, after all.

"I got dragged into a meeting with her, her lawyer, and HR today."

"Excuse me? What for?" Her face was turning red. I knew that shit couldn't be good for her or the baby.

"Take a deep breath, baby. I handled it. She won't be a problem ever again."

She took the breath, glaring at me the whole time. "There. Now tell me what she did."

"Okay, before you go off, keep in mind that I handled it. I don't want you getting so worked up that you get sick, or hurt the baby, or whatever."

"Edward, I'm pregnant. I'm not a bomb. Just come out with it, because I'm getting more upset about having to wait than actually hearing whatever she did."

Reed Girl was definitely more volatile than she had ever been before. I was scared at what her reaction would be, but she was right. No more fucking around.

"She wanted to bring in Animal Services to call Rainbow a dangerous animal for attacking her. And she wanted to sue me for her purse getting ruined."

"I see."

I fucking didn't, because all of a sudden, her camera was off. "Hello? Reed Girl?"

"I'm here."

Maybe her voice was, but her face wasn't.

"Where did you go?"

"Nowhere. I'm simply pulling up a browser so I can find the first flight up there and be on it."

Her voice sounded tight as shit. "Bella. Baby. That's not necessary. I told you I handled it."

"Did you hit her?"

What? "No, of course not."

"Then it's not handled the way I want it handled."

Fuck. That was hot. Wrong, but hot. "Aren't you the one who always tells me that violence isn't the answer?"

Her fingers clicked away on the other end of the computer. "With her, it appears to be the only answer. And since you can't hit her, it's up to me to do it."

I would pay good money to see that shit, at any other time. "No, baby. You're pregnant."

"That doesn't make me an invalid, Edward. She won't get the chance to hit me back."

She fucking killed me. I ached for her. Part of me wanted to just let her fly up so I could see her again. But that was wrong.

"Would you stop looking for flights and please come back to me?"

"There's one that leaves around seven tonight. I'll be cutting it close, but I think I can swing it. I don't need to pack."

"Reed Girl. Will you please come back to Skype so I can look at your beautiful face? I told you I handled it. At least hear me out. If you're not satisfied, I'll charter you a private fucking plane to bring you up here if I have to."

It seemed to take forever, but finally she appeared before me again. Her brown eyes were snapping with temper, but her face wasn't red anymore, thank fuck.

I laid the whole incident out for her, as close to word for word as I possibly could. She stayed silent through it all and for several seconds after I finished.

"So, you never have to work with her again?"

"No, I swear. And if she even looks at me, I will file paperwork against her. I promise."

"You could have gotten her fired."

From her tone, I couldn't tell if she was pissed that I hadn't. "Yeah, probably. Do you want me to? I'll call that HR lady right now." I'd do anything to bring that smile she'd had earlier back to her face.

"The bitchy part of me wants to say yes. The rational part is proud of how you handled it." And there was the smile I fucking loved. "She probably shit herself when you mentioned sexual harassment."

I grinned back at her. "She got scared as hell, that much I can tell you."

"Good. She deserved at least that much."

"And then some. When Coach told me she wanted Rainbow put down…" I still couldn't even comprehend it. I looked down at the purring cat on my chest. "I went apeshit."

Reed Girl chuckled. "I can imagine."

"Nobody fucks with my family. You, Rainbow, and the baby. I'd never let anybody hurt any of you."

Reed Girl sniffled, and a couple of tears appeared on her face. Fuck. "Don't cry, baby."

"Happy tears."

That didn't matter. I fucking hated tears period.

"You included the baby."

Of course I had. "Well, yeah. That's our kid."

"I know. But I also know that you haven't had as much time to get used to the idea as I have. It means the world to me that you're already including him or her with us."

I actually did some shit right, without even trying. That felt fucking good. "Did I tell you I mentioned the baby when I was bitching her out for her bullshit?"

Reed Girl smiled brilliantly. "Yes. And I bet she's jealous as hell. She seems the type that would poke holes in the condom if she ever actually got a hot player in her bed."

I winced automatically at the idea. "That's why no dude with a brain should ever be without his own condoms." My brother was an idiot ninety-nine percent of the time, but he'd been a genius on that score. There were just a few too many crazy chicks in the world to take a chance on that shit.

"Well, I hope she keeps away from you. I'm proud of how you handled it. I know you were really angry but you didn't completely lose it."

Damn right I hadn't. "I came close. Had there been no witnesses, I probably would have gone off on her a little harder."

"I would have as well. Nobody messes with our Rainbow, do they?"

Of course, as soon as she heard her name, Rainbow lifted her head and let out a little meow.

"I only wish she would have done more damage to her to at least earn the meeting."

I fucking loved my girl's vengeful side. "Agreed. Dangerous animal, my ass. You're not so scary, are you, Rainbow?"

She put her paw over my mouth, making Reed Girl and me laugh.

"She disagrees."

"Of course. She won't settle for anything less than badass."

"She is your cat."

I couldn't deny that shit anymore. "Only Rainbow could get my ass hauled into an HR meeting."

"It's true. She's a menace. But she's our menace."

"Damn right. Nobody fucks with Rainbow." I got a head-butt for that declaration.

"By the way, Coach said congratulations about the baby. So did Sammy."

Reed Girl's smile softened a bit at the mention of the kid. "It's great that you told them."

"I thought it was, until Sammy offered to step in and marry you if I was too freaked."

She giggled. "It's nice to know I have options."

I pointed at her. "You have no options. I'm it. We're getting married in a month."

"A month from today. I can't wait." She glanced at something off screen. "Speaking of which, we'd better get my father on this call."

Fuck. Like I hadn't been through enough today? But it was time. Everybody else knew, and Charlie needed to be able to get off work and travel and all that shit.

"Patch him in, baby."

She grinned. "You know he's probably going to be more excited than your mom was. This isn't going to be that bad."

Probably not. "He's still a dad whose daughter I knocked up. That's the kind of shit dads have nightmares about, right?"

She grinned. "You'll have to tell me if we have a daughter."

Fuck no. "That shit isn't even funny."

"Fifty-fifty odds, no matter what you say, Cullen."

"We're having a boy, and that's that. I'll teach him football." A little mini-me in my jersey would be kinda cool.

"You could teach a girl football, too."

"Maybe, but it's a boy so it doesn't matter."

She laughed. "Okay, enough baby talk until we tell Dad about the wedding."

I nodded, taking a deep breath as Charlie appeared on the screen.

"Hi! I didn't know you'd be here, Edward! How's your arm? Great game on Sunday. When you threw that long pass to Sammy, it was a thing of beauty."

"Hi, Dad. It's good to see you, too," Reed Girl said drily.

Charlie actually blushed. "Sorry, Bells. How are you?"

"I'm doing well."

"That's good. And your arm, Edward?"

I rolled my eyes. "It's great, Charlie. How are things in Forks?"

"Quiet."

What else was new?

"I do have some news for you, though."

"You do?" Reed Girl sat up.

"Yeah. You remember Riley, of course."

What could he possibly tell me about that motherfucker that I would remotely give a shit about? If he was sniffing around looking for Reed Girl again, I would kick his ass. It was long overdue.

"What did that asshole do now?" I demanded.

"Edward," Reed Girl admonished. "Dad, what about Riley?"

The stache started twitching, and damned if Rainbow didn't reach out to touch it on the iPad.

"It would seem that he's been messing around with Missy Jenkins."

I didn't know what was such a big deal about that, but Reed Girl gasped.

"Reverend Jenkins' daughter? I used to babysit her. She's what, seventeen now?"

"She is, and he got her kn-er in the family way. There's going to be a shotgun wedding next weekend."

I wasn't sure if Charlie's chortling meant good things or bad things for our upcoming news. He certainly found it amusing that Riley was being forced to marry some child. Then again, so did I. Take that, fucker.

"Oh, my God. That's unbelievable. What's he doing messing around with teenagers?"

"Most of the single girls his age are away at school." Charlie shrugged. "I told him his ways were going to get him in trouble."

I shifted uncomfortably. My ways were like his once upon a time, and Charlie knew that. Thank fuck Reed Girl wasn't seventeen.

"Wow. Well, hopefully he loves her."

Charlie snorted. "Please. He'll be messing around before the wedding license is dry is my guess. It's a good thing you dodged that bullet." He grinned at me. "You traded way up."

That was too true. Charlie's love for me was a good thing, especially now.

"Yes, I did." Reed Girl smiled. "And speaking of that, we have some news."

"Yeah? Did you finally set the date? Everybody keeps asking me when we get together on Sunday to watch the games."

Those gossipy old men. Of course they wanted to know. Charlie and his friends were worse than chicks, I swear.

"Actually, we did." Reed Girl shot me a look. Guess the ball was in my court.

"We've decided to get married on my bye week, Charlie. The one in early November."

He blinked a few times. "I thought you were looking toward spring?"

"Well, we were, but we decided we didn't want to wait." Not a whole fucking year or two, that's for damn sure.

"Okay. Well, it's quick, but I can definitely put in to take that week off. Where is it going to be? Bella, you mentioned a destination wedding last time we talked. Where are we going?"

"Actually, we're going to do a local wedding in the Jacksonville area. It was just easier to arrange everything there. Edward's mother has lots of contacts so that we can get everything done on time."

Charlie's eyes narrowed. Fuck. He was a cop. Of course he was wondering why we were in such a damn rush.

"I don't understand. If it's going to be so difficult to get together, why not wait until the season is over at least?" His dark-brown eyes bore into mine. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Reed Girl bit her lip and sent me a pleading glance. Fucking hell. Here we go.

"Riley's not the only one knocking up girls. Bella's pregnant, and we want to be married before the baby comes." The words just poured from my mouth.

"Nice, Edward." Reed Girl shot me a look before smiling sweetly for her father. "Uh, so yeah, Dad. You're going to be a grandfather."

"Wow." Charlie looked a little pale. I hoped we weren't going to have a repeat of my father's faint or whatever the fuck that shit was.

"Are you okay?" Reed Girl peered at her father with concern. "Maybe we should have waited to tell him."

Well, it was a little fucking late for that now. "Charlie? You're not pissed, are you?"

He shook his head. "A baby. A Swan-Cullen. Future NFL star. Pissed? Of course I'm not pissed!" And then he was off, doing some kind of happy dance around the living room.

Well, that was good, but we were getting some shit straight. "He'll just be a Cullen, Charlie."

"You two! You don't even know if it'll be a he. And maybe he won't even play football."

Charlie stopped dancing. Thank fuck for small favors. "Bite your tongue, Bells! Of course he will!"

Hilarious. Charlie was a fucking riot. He got it. "I'll have a football in his hand as soon as he's walking, Charlie."

"Yes, you will! I'll buy it! There are baby footballs on the internet, aren't there? I'll get Sue to look for me. Oh, this is exciting! Congratulations! I'm gonna be the grandfather of a football star!" And he was back to dancing. Nobody should have to see the stache and his belly wiggling around, even if it was kind of hilarious.

"Perhaps he's going to be a musical genius, the youngest piano prodigy ever admitted to Julliard." Reed Girl was glaring at us both.

"Baby, we both know my genes are going to be dominant. I mean, we have sex without a condom one time, and my sperm scored. The odds of that have to be miniscule. Clearly, this kid is all Cullen."

"Ahem, a little more information than I needed, but he's right, Bells. The next kid can be the musical genius. You can have a little girl for me to spoil."

"You two are ridiculous." But Reed Girl was smiling. "Maybe she'll be the first female NFL player and he'll be in the band."

Fuck that noise. "No girls. And he can play in band for the basketball team or something during the offseason." No kid of mine was going to be just a music nerd. I mean, I wanted him to be as smart and talented as Reed Girl was but also as talented as I was. With us as parents, it was totally possible.

"Whatever he or she is, we'll love them regardless."

"Of course, Bells! Can I tell Billy? I have to call people! A baby!" Charlie was back to dancing. Fucking hell.

"Just hold your horses a bit, Dad. I want to wait to tell the world until after the wedding. I'll be nearly through the first trimester then. You can take out an ad in the Forks Forum after."

"I will! It'll be front-page news!"

That wasn't remotely a surprise. That little hick paper didn't have much to report. Maybe they'd do a feature on Riley's wedding. Ha! I'd have to ask Charlie for a copy.

"I'm sure it will, Dad. I'll call you with all the wedding details later in the week. Esme is finalizing the location. We're only planning immediately family and a handful of friends. I hope that's not a problem? I know you'd like to have Billy there." She bit her lip. "I'll see if maybe-"

"That's okay, Bells. He won't mind. But, um, can I bring someone? A date?" Oh, Charlie had a chick! Who knew?

Reed Girl raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I'm sure you could do that. I'll let Esme know we need one more. Who might this date be?"

"Well, I mean, I don't know for sure. I thought I'd ask Sue. If she can't go, there's always Shelly."

Whoa. "Charlie, you dog! How many girls do you have?" Reed Girl's dad was a player.

Reed Girl's eyes narrowed. "Sue, your dispatcher? And Shelly, as in my former English teacher, Mrs. Cope?"

Charlie started whistling.

"Dad!"

"Maybe. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Hell, no," I assured him.

"Bells?" He eyed her warily.

"I don't mind if you bring someone, Dad. But pick one."

"Well, of course, Bells. I just have to decide which one."

"Bring the hotter one, Charlie. Your ex will be there, after all."

"Edward! Dad, just bring whoever. I'll have Esme email you details."

"Good point, Edward." Charlie nodded approvingly. "I can tell my date about the baby, right?"

Reed Girl rolled her eyes. "Which one?" Then she shook her head. "Never mind. I don't want to know. You can tell her; it's fine."

"I'm so excited! Congratulations to you, both! And to me! A grandson in the NFL. That's even better than a son-in-law."

I had to laugh. "Thanks, Charlie."

"You know what I mean! Swan blood!"

The kid might have Swan blood, but we all knew the Cullen blood would produce the football talent. Still, he was so excited that I couldn't burst his bubble.

"All right, you two. Stop planning the baby's life before he's even here. He'll be whomever he wants to be, and you'll love him regardless."

"Well, of course, Bells. I'm gonna be a grandpa!"

"Yes, you are." Her eyes were teary again. Fucking happy tears. How I hated them.

"I have to go call Sue! I'll talk to you later, Bells. Edward!"

I laughed. "Hey, you can also let Riley know about the baby, Charlie." Let him deal with that. Not only did he have to marry someone who wasn't Reed Girl, but she was having my baby. And my baby would totally kick his baby's ass. That went without saying.

Charlie beamed. "I will! His kid can suck it!"

"Dad!" Reed Girl shook her head. "Don't talk about a baby that way."

"Fine. Sorry, Bells."

"Go make your calls, Dad. I'll talk to you soon. I love you."

"Love you, too! Bye Edward!"

I snickered. "Bye, Charlie."

Reed Girl disconnected. "That went well."

Thank fuck. "I don't know why I was sweating telling him. He's more excited than anybody, other than Jasper, maybe."

Reed Girl laughed. "I can't believe you two, rubbing our baby in Riley's face."

"I can't help it. I hate that guy. His baby _can_ suck it."

She smiled. "I know you do. But we both know that he's not an issue for us, ever."

"I know, but it's nice to send the message in case he's still holding out hope that you'll be his one day." Sucked to be him. He had to marry some kid while I was marrying Reed Girl. I definitely won that one, all around.

"Even though you're both delusional, it was nice to hear you and my father planning the baby's future." She smiled at me. "I think it's growing on you."

Maybe it was. "I'll be ready, once he gets here."

She laughed. "We'll be as ready as we can be. And clearly the grandparents will be in our corner."

"No doubt. I just hope they don't move up here." That was the stuff of nightmares.

Reed Girl shook her head. "They have lives and jobs and such. I don't think we need to worry."

She didn't, anyway. "We don't need to worry about a thing. You just keep taking care of yourself."

"I am. I'm taking care of both of us."

The pang hit me at her words. "I want-"

"I know you do. And you are. Stop worrying."

As if I could do that when she was a thousand miles away. "Can I at least get you a housekeeper? You shouldn't be doing shit like cleaning." And the housekeeper could cook for her. She needed someone to do that.

She laughed. "Not an invalid, remember?"

"I remember. But you're my Reed Girl. And you're having my baby."

She smiled. "Would it make you feel better if you hired someone?"

Holy shit. I won! "Yes."

"Then go ahead. I won't cry over not having to clean."

Thank fuck. "Awesome! I'll look into it right now."

She smiled. "I love you, Edward. And I love how much you love me."

"I do, baby."

"You know your line."

That made me laugh. "Yeah, I have that one down. And I can't wait to say it."

"I can't wait to say it, either."

"We're full-speed ahead, now."

Everybody who needed to know about the wedding and the baby now knew. All that was left was to get married. It was about fucking time.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N Happy Super Bowl!  
**

**What are your Super Bowl rituals? Do you go to or throw a party? What food do you eat? If you're not in the US, does your country show the game, and do you/will you watch? I can't do SB parties, too many people there usually are being social and I want to see the game. This probably doesn't surprise you to learn about me. hehe As for food, nachos and subs are my go-to, though I'm feeling pretty sluggish today and may stick close to home, forgoing my Jersey Mike's for something easier like Outback. We'll see!**

**I would be remiss if I didn't tell you all to google Conan O'Brien's video game challenge with Gronk and Marshawn Lynch from earlier this week. Funniest thing I've seen in ages. I laughed so hard I cried. And not only does Marshawn talk, he's actually funny as hell. Check it out if you want a good laugh.**

**I did a review over on FicSisters for the now complete, completely awesome An Introduction to Swirl & Daisy. Go over there and read it, or just skip my review and go straight to FF and read it. Easily one of my favorite stories, it was a 5 year labor of love for m81170. She's made an adorable PDF that has different writing for the different diary entries and yearbook signatures. The work she's put into it just floors me. So, if you haven't read it, I highly recommend doing so.**

**I don't normally respond to anon reviews as a rule, but this one stuck with me so I guess I will. The wedding will be in chapter 24 or 25, depending how wordy I get. While this is an E &B story, it's not just E&B. It's Edward's journey through life's changes, such as his new job in the NFL, being away from his friends, family, and his girl, and coming to terms with becoming a father. Exploring those reactions is important to me, from shock through confusion and fear, to excitement, to freak outs, to acceptance. And everything in between. Last chapter he finally had some excitement over the idea, so I think that's important to share, plus many of my readers wanted Charlie's reaction. I try to include that which is requested of me whenever possible. So, do with that what you will. We're getting there and I think every step they take is important. Time jumps can and will happen. In fact, Chapter 23 will be Edward's reunion with his Reed Girl. **

**That being said, I think this chapter is a lot of fun. It's one I've had in my head since I decided to write this story, and I hope you all enjoy it! And I hope we all enjoy the game this year. I think it's going to be a close one. I won't curse anybody by predicting a winner. I missed you all last week, but the week off was nice, too! I'll see you next week to talk game, wishes, and anything else that comes to mind. Have a great week!  
**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 21

Practice the next day was brutal. The Raven's defense came hard and fast, so Coach had our defense do the same to me. JPP had me on my ass way more than I was comfortable with. I did enjoy seeing Colin, Brady, and the rest of my linemen get lit into by Coach, though. A visit to the massage table helped me be able to move somewhat, so I headed home without incident.

Once I got there, the front desk let me know I had a package. The books! It was about fucking time. I took that shit up to my place and tore into it immediately. Of course Rainbow went all apeshit about the fact that there was a box in the house, and the instant I had it open, she got inside. What was with cats and fucking boxes? I'd never know, but she could happily sit in one for hours on end. Fucking weirdo. Oh well. It kept her out of my hair.

"Where the hell do I start?" I muttered. Some of these things were fucking scary. Well, if I was being honest, all of them were. "Better start at the beginning."

I picked up _What to Expect When You're Expecting._ I may as well know what Reed Girl was going through, right? It was the least I could fucking do since I was miles away from her while she grew my baby.

The book started with the why I wrote and updated this shit, like I fucking cared. I flipped through, snorting when I saw the Before You Conceive section. A little too fucking late for that, people. For some reason, I glanced at it anyway. Had Reed Girl had a preconception checkup? I really fucking doubted that, since we weren't trying to conceive in the first place.

Did she have a prenatal practitioner? What in the fuck was that? Sounded like something Jasper would have dreamed up when he was high. Oh, an obstetrician. Fuck, we must have one, right? But she had one in Tallahassee, which meant I needed to find her one up here, since the kid would likely be born here. Where the hell did I find a good obstetrician? Eli had kids. I'd ask him.

"Easy enough," I told Rainbow, who was randomly chasing her tail around the box. Sometimes she was otherworldy smart, to the point that it was fucking scary, but other times she chased her fucking tail, even though she never, ever caught it. I didn't get it.

See the dentist? What the fuck did the dentist have to do with having a baby? When was Reed Girl's last appointment? I started firing off texts as I scanned the book.

Fuck. Did we have any genetic disorders? I mean, my mom was fucking crazy half the time, and God knew Emmett was brain dead, but could the baby catch that through my genes? I'd have to ask my Dad. He was sort of normal. Sort of.

My phone buzzed.

_I take it you got Jasper's books. You're supposed to skip that section!_

Maybe I was, but I hadn't, and now I had new shit to worry about.

_Does your family have any disorders? I mean, your dad is a little stalkerish, but the baby probably can't get that, right? What about your mom? She has issues._

Modify fish consumption? Reed Girl wasn't a huge seafood eater, so we were probably okay.

_The issues my mom has aren't the kind that are passed to a baby genetically. As long as we keep her away from him or her, we're golden. And there's nothing wrong with my dad._

Well, that was debatable, but I was all for keeping my kid away from Renee. Thankfully she wouldn't hit on her own grandkid, unless she got senile when he was a teenager and she forgot. Fuck. I couldn't let my mind go there.

I felt a bit of a pang when the book said we should go out and do stuff while we could, before the kid came along and chained us to the house. Fuck. I'd make damn sure that I took her all over the place when she got up here, after the season ended. And we were taking that damn honeymoon. That was non-negotiable.

I flipped through some more pages. Get to know your cervix? What the fuck?

_Do you know your cervix?_

This time, Reed Girl called me. She was laughing as I picked up.

"You're not supposed to read that section. It says it right in the front that you can skip to chapter two. I can't believe you're reading it anyway."

Fine. I didn't want to get to know Reed Girl's cervix, unless my dick hit it when it was sliding inside her. Then I wanted to know it intimately.

"Of course I'm reading it. I should know what you're going through."

"And I appreciate that. But the baby is already happening, so we don't need to plan for making it."

"I'd like to practice making it, at least." Couples wanting to have a baby had lots of sex, right? Seemed like I was getting gypped since we didn't get to do all the prep.

She laughed again. "We've had plenty of practice over the past couple years."

That was true. "Never enough, though, baby."

I ran across the prep for dads and stopped there. "Why the fuck would I have to go to the doctor? You're the one having the baby."

"That's to make sure you don't have a low sperm count, which clearly isn't a problem," she told me drily.

"I can't help it if I'm super manly." One time having unprotected sex, just one, and I'd scored a touchdown. Edward Cullen was just that fucking potent.

I skimmed through the rest of that shit. I was in shape, obviously. My lifestyle was fine; I didn't smoke, drank on rare occasions but that didn't mean shit right now, and clearly my sperm wasn't an issue.

"Looks like I'm all good."

Reed Girl giggled again. "I don't know. Maybe you should see the doctor just in case, make sure you're not one and done."

"Not fucking cool, Reed Girl. Don't make me think about more than one kid when I'm still wrapping my mind around the first one."

"You're right. I'm sorry."

"Guess I can skip the pregnancy signs thing, but how tender are your nipples?" Yeah, I made myself sound like a perv when I asked that shit.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Obviously. I asked, didn't I?"

"My boobs definitely feel heavier."

Well shit, they were heavier. Her bra had practically strangled those things over the weekend. That was one perk of pregnancy I planned on enjoying.

"Nice."

"Says you. I have to go bra shopping soon."

Bra shopping? "Fuck. Can it wait until I'm back in town?"

She laughed at my horny ass-of course she did. "Probably not, but we can always go again. I don't know if you'd enjoy it, though. I'll be shopping for comfort, not sexiness."

That sucked. But I could hardly point that out when she was pregnant. Oh, well. I'd take her bra shopping after the baby. That would be fun. And I needed to focus before I got hard and this call turned into something a lot more fun than discussing a baby book.

"I take it we have a good doctor?"

"We have a good doctor. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something."

Shit. She sounded nervous. "What?"

"Well, I was thinking of scheduling an ultrasound for the week of the wedding. So you could go with me and see the baby. Is that okay?"

Was it? It had to be, right? I should be there to see my kid. "Yeah. I want to go."

"Okay. I'll make an appointment."

She sounded relieved. "Were you afraid I was going to say no?"

She blew out a breath. "Not really. I just know it still hasn't fully hit you and I don't want to pressure you if you're feeling stressed."

Fuck. "Don't worry about me. You worry about you. I'm fine. I want to see the baby." Even if it was going to look like an alien or whatever. It would grow and get normal looking eventually.

Somehow I ended up on a page about birthing choices. "Do we have a birthing choice?"

The room thing was easy. You could apparently get a room where they did everything there and even let the baby stay with you. We'd be doing that. I wasn't having Reed Girl or my kid moved all over the place. I'd pay whatever so she could be as comfortable as she could be.

"Are you really ready to discuss the details of birth?" she asked.

It took me all of a second to decide that one. "Fuck no."

The words "home birth" had me flipping pages frantically. Fuck that noise. That would never fucking happen. We'd have to move if the baby was born at home. Shit would never be the same.

"I didn't think so." Even though she wasn't laughing, I could hear the laughter in her voice.

A question caught my eye. "It says that taking pills after you get pregnant shouldn't hurt the baby." Thank fuck. I hadn't even thought of that.

"I already talked to the doctor about that. He said we should be just fine."

"Good." There was enough shit to worry about without worrying we'd fucked up the kid inadvertently.

"Gross! Why the fuck are they talking about sexually transmitted diseases?" I was having flashbacks to junior high, seeing those words, remembering my father lecturing me about STDs and using visual aids. It was a wonder that I'd had sex at all after that horror.

"People with STDs can still have babies, Edward."

Gross. That didn't bear thinking about. I skipped a shitload more pages until I got to the First Trimester. Final-fucking-ly. Something that actually applied to us.

"Should we get all these tests done?"

"What tests?"

"The genetic stuff. Make sure nothing is wrong with the baby."

"Edward, I'm young and healthy. The baby will be fine. We don't have to have those tests unless the doctor is worried there's something wrong. Some of those tests can even be bad for the baby."

Well, shit. I didn't want that. "Okay, just checking. Our families are both kind of insane, you know."

She laughed. "They're not chemically insane, just naturally that way." She sighed. "I know your mind hops to the worst-case scenarios, but you need to rein it in. We'll worry about that which we need to worry about and not add to it. You can find all sorts of stuff in those books to scare yourself if you allow it."

Okay. I'd try, for her. But I was damn well going to make sure we did all we could so she and our son would be healthy.

"You don't drink much coffee, so we're okay there. You don't work out. Should you start?"

"So, you'll worry about me instead?" She laughed. "I walk a lot; there's no reason to stop that. And I can exercise, but I won't do anything extreme, since I didn't do that in the first place."

That was fine. "No smoking or drinking, duh." I skimmed over the drugs and shit. Not an issue. "No hot tub?" Well, there fucking went a honeymoon fantasy.

She laughed. "I didn't have any hot tub plans anyway."

"I did," I muttered.

"It's only for a few months. We can hit a hot tub together after the baby comes."

It would have to do. "There's a whole chapter on what you should be eating."

Reed Girl groaned at that. "Please, skip it. I can read that one myself."

Uh-huh. Right. "I really think I should get you that nutritionist."

"I can read just as well as you can. I'm sure I can manage."

Maybe. Still, if she wouldn't let me hire a nutritionist, I could still help out. I was going to find one of those grocery delivery services and order her the shit she should be eating. That was something I could do to take care of her, even from far away. At least then I'd be participating in some way.

I skipped the first four weeks stuff, as our baby was beyond that, but stopped when I got to the feelings section. I wanted to know what Reed Girl was feeling, even if she'd shared some of that with me. God knew she probably hadn't told me all of it. Drooling? Passing gas? Never mind. I didn't want to know after all.

"You're awfully quiet over there," Reed Girl observed.

"I was, uh, just reading the part about what you may be feeling when you first get pregnant. Changes that are happening already."

"Oh, boy. Are you sure you should be reading that book? I'm gonna kill Jasper."

Fuck. Not that I wouldn't like to see Reed Girl go off on Jasper. That shit would be hilarious if I was being honest. But I didn't want her to feel bad.

"Don't worry, it's normal. The book says so."

"Uh-huh. Let's just move along, okay?"

Fine by me. I wasn't squeamish and shit, and I knew my girl could let one rip every now and then, but I didn't need to talk about it either.

"Breaking the news? Already done, thank you very much." What a fucking process that had been. It felt like we'd told everyone under the sun we were having a kid. Even though nobody but Sammy and Coach knew at work. Fuck. When did I tell them?

"Ah ha! It says right here to let others baby you! That's what I keep trying to do." It was hilarious that it mentioned grocery shopping. I was taking care of that shit before the night was over.

"You're doing a good job of it, Champ. As expected."

I was glad she thought so. "Are you getting enough sleep? And are you sick every morning? It says here to eat in the morning, early. Have crackers or something by the bed and eat before you even get up." Damn it, I should be there making sure she did that.

"Edward, I'm sleeping as much as I possibly can. And the crackers are a good idea. I'll put some by the bed. I promise."

"Eat late, eat light, eat often. I really think you should be eating like all the time. Bring snacks to class."

"I can't eat all the time. I eat when I need to. I really think you should put that book away."

No way, no how. I was tackling this baby shit head on. I'd worry less if I knew it all. Wasn't that obvious?

Ginger. Ginger was good apparently. I wrote that shit down, along with the other suggestions I'd skimmed over.

"Tender boobs, puking, farting, drooling, swelling feet, crazy emotions-why do women do this shit?" Reading these books was either going to give me a new respect for the female race, or I'd want to avoid them all because they were clearly batshit for willingly going through all this crap just to have a baby.

"Because at the end of it, we get a tiny, perfect, sweet little baby, who we get to love beyond words. I'll endure nine months of insanity for sixty or seventy years of being mother to an incredible child."

Okay. Maybe so. Still, I could be glad it wasn't me having to go through all that.

"Don't even look at the _call the doctor immediately if you experience_ stuff. You're just going to freak yourself out."

She was right. I'd probably text her every few hours to ask if she was experiencing any symptoms. But still, I should know.

"I should probably-"

"No. Skip ahead to the part that applies to us currently. That's what I'm doing. Reading so I know what's going on with the baby at each week."

That was a good idea. I could go back and read the other stuff later. Or not. The phrase "vaginal discharge" caught my eye. Fucking hell. Was there no end to the disgusting shit? Who knew that pregnant chicks were walking stink bombs, at all ends? Fucking gross.

"There's a section on how much weight you should gain."

"Just skip right over that, Cullen. I'll gain what I gain, and we'll live with it."

Right. There was an edge to her voice that told me I'd better do exactly what she said. Part of that heightened emotion shit the book kept mentioning. That, or she just didn't want me to say the word fat again. I knew better, though.

"Here we go! The third month." God, we were already in the third month. Thank fuck we only had one more to get through after that before she was with me permanently. Then I could monitor the food and the weight without her knowing about it. I could be stealthy and shit.

"We're gonna hear the baby's heartbeat?" I asked, because that was the coolest thing in the first paragraph.

"That's the plan. That's why I wanted you to be there for the appointment."

That was actually pretty awesome. I wanted to hear my kid's heart. I bet it was strong as shit.

"It says our baby is an inch long and about the size of an olive." Holy fuck, that was small. Scary small. How in the hell did an olive become baby sized in seven months time?

According to the book, the kid was actually starting to look more like a kid than an alien at this point. Thank God. Hopefully I wouldn't have to pretend that it didn't look weird when I got to see it.

"Muscles are forming! He's going to have a lot of them."

Reed Girl laughed. "I don't think our baby is going to come out with a six pack, Edward."

Who knew? "He's got Cullen genes, baby. Better be prepared for a parade of toddlers to be after him right from the start."

I skimmed the rest of the weeks. Week twelve would be when we got married. Apparently he'd be a plum by then. What was with the food comparisons? That was kinda fucked up.

Constipation, more farting, visible veins, more vaginal discharge…fucking hell.

"Looks like you're in for more of the same stuff this month," was all I said, because I wasn't a fucking fool. Also, right below that delightful list of disgust, it mentioned mood swings, irritability, and weepiness. I didn't need to set any of that off right now, thank you very much.

"Yeah, but I think some of the worst of it ends after the trimester. I'm not reading too far ahead. I don't want it all to run together."

That was a very good idea. I folded down the page and shut the book. Rainbow immediately hopped out of her box and took her spot on my chest now that a book wasn't in her way. I got a meow and a tail smack for my lack of attentiveness. Go fucking figure.

"Okay, I closed the book."

She chuckled. "Good. Now you know what's happening inside me. Probably more than you wanted or needed to know."

That was very fucking true. There was shit I just didn't need to be thinking about on our wedding night. Vaginal discharge was at the very top of that list. Shit, could I go down on her? Why wasn't that in the book? I needed a pregnant sex guide.

"It's important that I know what's happening, since I can't be there to see it for myself."

"We don't have that much longer until you're right by my side and I'm bothering you with late-night cravings."

I laughed at that. "I'll take cravings over morning sickness any day." Plus, there was plenty of shit open around here as late as you needed it to be. At least that was a positive to living in the city.

"Me too! I'm looking forward to it."

I knew she was. Reed Girl kicked all ass.

"But you're really feeling okay?"

"Yes. I'm tired sometimes, but that's normal, especially with all that's on my plate right now. I'm eating, sleeping, resting, and the gang checks on me in one form or another every few hours. You have nothing to worry about."

"Like you wouldn't worry if the roles were reversed and I was the one pregnant and alone?"

She sighed. "Okay. I get it. But I also know you're more than capable of taking care of yourself. And if you weren't, I'd send Jasper to take care of you."

That was a scary fucking thought. "You're mean, baby. It didn't say anything in the book about pregnancy making you mean."

"Well, irritable is close to mean, right? Plus, Jasper would take good care of you."

Too good. I had a quick image of him in a nurse's uniform offering me a sponge bath that had me feeling sick.

"Gross. You're the one I want to take care of me."

"And I will. I can't wait." Her voice got all breathy and sexy. Fuck yes.

I moved Rainbow aside because I couldn't hold her when Reed Girl was turning me on.

"Why don't you tell me just how you'd take care of me, Bella?" I dropped my tone like I always did when I used her name. She loved that.

"Well, I'd love to, but…shit." There was a noise, and I vaguely heard Reed Girl's voice. She said something like "right back." What the fuck?

I gave her two minutes before I started to panic. Where had she gone? Was something wrong? I thought maybe someone was at the door, but she wouldn't have dropped the phone for that. Had she passed out? The book mentioned being light-headed as a symptom.

I put my phone on speaker and started to text Jasper.

_Get to my place, now. Call 911. Find out what's wro-_

"Sorry."

"What the fuck happened?" I swear, I felt my blood roaring in my veins. Was I having a fucking heart attack? That would figure. I'd drop dead from a heart attack at twenty-one because my pregnant fiancée dropped the phone.

"I, uh, got sick."

Jesus fucking Christ. "You couldn't have told me?"

"Not unless you wanted me to puke in your ear, no. It hit and I ran. I'm sorry."

Fuck. I was breathing like I'd run wind sprints. "You scared the shit out of me."

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to."

Well, fuck. Now she sounded like she was about to cry. She'd gone from horny to sick, and I'd gone from horny to heart attack. Parenthood. So fucking fantastic.

"It's okay, baby. Maybe you should lie down for a while."

"I think I will." She sniffled. "I'm sorry I killed the mood."

Who cared about the mood? She'd nearly fucking killed me. But I wasn't going to tell her that. Not when she was upset already.

"You didn't kill anything, Reed Girl. You just get some rest and have a good dinner later, okay?"

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you, too."

I disconnected and shot a look at Rainbow. "That was a first." Never before had we gone from near phone sex to utter cockblock so quickly. The kid was already disrupting our sex life. Not fucking cool.

I took my phone and dialed Cody's Roadhouse in Tallahassee. We used to eat there almost weekly, and I knew my girl loved their baked potato soup. I did some sweet talking and offered enough money that they were willing to deliver. I got Reed Girl grilled chicken, soup, salad, and a fucking steak. She could eat any or all of it.

Then I got online and set up a grocery delivery service, ordering a bunch of fresh fruits and vegetables and other shit from the book. I was going to take care of my girl. She was my number-one priority and she'd just have to deal with me sending her shit right and left. Thank God for the internet. Her housekeeper would be starting later in the week. I was on top of shit.

I picked the book back up. It may have a ton of gross shit in it, but it also had answers as to what my girl needed. I'd power through, for her.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N Good morning! I can't tell you how much it pains me not to write my usual Happy Football Day to you all. Le sigh. I hate when the season ends. I truly do. I already miss football and it hasn't been gone for very long. I keep telling myself I'll have more time to write now, but that's a cold comfort :)**

**At least we went out on a high note. How about that game? I can't honestly remember a more exciting ending to a Super Bowl, at least not one that swung for both sides at the end that way. I'm sorry for the Seahawks fans. Losing that way is definitely a gut punch and a half, but at least you won last year, so that should lessen the sting some. And I'm happy for the Pats fans, after losing two Super Bowls on rather fluky plays, not to have it happen again, even though it came damn close. Now we get the joy of watching Gronk make the circuit, which is just awesome. He makes me laugh my ass off. I wish I knew him IRL. He'd be fun to hang with.**

**Before I forget, TWCS is having a Valentine's sale on the 13th and 14th. The Hot Corner is one of the many books available! So, if you were waiting, now's the time to pull the trigger. Well, this coming weekend anyway. There's a lot of awesome books on sale, so check them out!**

**I have a new appreciation for Rainbow and the cat carrier after taking outdoor kitten to the vet yesterday. Punkin doesn't like for me to touch her, so I had no idea how I was gonna get this done, mind you. Luckily she was playing in my bathroom when I woke up, so I trapped her in there. Then I brought the box in and spent 15 minutes (no lie) chasing her around the bathroom as she tried to climb walls, got on the counter and knocked everything over (mouthwash everywhere, fun), and finally I caught her with a towel and got her in. I managed to get out unscathed, but it was terrible. Now I have to take her back in 2-4 weeks to get spayed. Pray for me, people. I need it!**

**My beta and pre-reader tell me I need to issue a tissue warning for this chapter. (Not for any bad reason, per se, bittersweet stuff) So I'm issuing it. I loved this chapter and hopefully you will as well. A softer side of our boy. See you next week with more!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 22

"Edward Cullen?"

I looked away from the big screen that was showing my ass get planted by Connor Barwin and focused on the dude in the suit standing in the doorway.

"Yeah?"

He stepped into the room and flashed me a smile. "My name is Alec Sinclair. I'm your new PR rep."

Well, that was quick. It'd only been a few days since shit had gone down with Heidi. It was good to see that my demands were being met, though.

"Nice to meet you, Alec." I shook the offered hand.

"It's nice to meet you as well. I've spoken to Heidi-" He broke off at the snort of derision I couldn't quite contain. "Yes, well, I understand there were some issues there. I can assure you that you have nothing further to worry about from our department."

I smirked at that. "I didn't figure you were here to hit on me."

He laughed. "Not in the least. Not that you're not attractive, but I don't swing that way." He chuckled. "I'll just use it to promote you and the team to everybody's advantage."

"No shirtless calendars," I told him, making him laugh again.

"I think after the last photo shoot you did, we'll avoid those altogether."

I thought about defending myself and Rainbow for form's sake, but why should I? I didn't want to do that shit anyway.

"Good. What do you need from me?" Because I doubted he was just here to introduce himself.

"We've had an inquiry come in from _Make a Wish._ There's a little boy who claims to be your biggest fan, and what he wants most in the world is to meet you."

 _Make a Wish._ That meant he was sick. "What does he have?"

Alec's expression let me know it wasn't good. "Leukemia."

Fuck. That sucked. "When and where?"

"He really wants to come to a game. I was thinking you could meet him before."

"Yeah. Have him come down onto the field. I'll throw with him. How old is he?" I hated thinking about a kid being sick. It was fucked up that a kid could get sick and die. My kid…no, that didn't bear thinking about.

"Nine. He's a big Florida State fan because of you, and he's local so of course he loves the Giants. He'll really like coming to the game."

That was cool. I could hook him up with some stuff from college as well as the pros. "Can we get him some jerseys, hats, and shit?" I asked. I'd get Jasper to send me some shit from Tallahassee. Hell, I'd get the whole team to sign a ball for him.

Alec nodded. "I'll take care of it. If you're on board, we can get his family to this week's game against the Ravens."

"Sure." Like I was going to make a sick kid wait to meet me? Fuck no. I'd get Reed Girl and Jasper to send me some FSU shit overnight.

"Great, I'll arrange it." He sat next to me and took out some notes from his pocket. "Now, it says here that you want your foundation to set up music programs at schools that have either done away with them or have limited budgets."

"Yes, my fiancée is a talented musician, and we both think it's important to bring music back into schools."

He looked up. "Is she your fiancée or your wife?"

It figured that Heidi had told him I was married. "She's my fiancée for a few more weeks. We're getting married officially on the bye week." I shot him a look. "I'd prefer if you kept that quiet."

He held up his hands. "I'm not working the gossip beat. I just wanted to know because it's noted that your fiancée is to be the point of contact on this, but from what I've seen, there hasn't been any."

Like that was a fucking surprise. "Heidi preferred to try to work with me, no matter how many times I told her that Bella would be the one handling things."

Alec shook his head. "I will get in touch with your fiancée right away, start working out what she'd like to do."

"That would be great. She's down in Florida right now but she'll be up here permanently in two months. I know she really wants to be hands-on, but…" Should I? Probably should. "She's pregnant, so I don't want her to do too much."

Alec smiled. "Congratulations. I take it you're not telling people that information yet, either?"

"That's right. I told you because you probably need to know, but we're not going public with that information. It's nobody's business but ours."

"Again, not here for gossip, but it's good to know if I start getting calls. Sports Illustrated wants to do an interview and photo shoot with you next week."

"Sounds like a plan."

He flipped through his notes. "We've got a visit to the children's hospital planned for the end of the month."

"I remember." One of the few things Heidi had actually done, workwise. "I'll be there."

"The animal adoption calendar is being put together. It'd be great if you could mention it in the SI interview and anywhere else you can work it in."

"That won't be a problem." I liked this guy. He actually stuck to business. It was a refreshing fucking change to be sure.

"That should be it for now. Here's my card with my cell, should you need me for anything. Can you let Bella know that I'll be in touch in the next day or two to start the ball rolling on the music program?" He rattled off her number. "Is this still her phone number?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I'll let her know you'll be calling."

He stood and headed for the door. "Great. I'll be in touch with you both. Don't hesitate to call if you need anything, day or night."

Had Heidi issued that invitation, it would have been a very bad thing. Thankfully, Alec seemed to mean it in a non-sexual way.

"Will do. And Alec?"

He paused. "Yes?"

"My Bella has a lot on her plate right now. I'm not sure how much she'll be able to contribute to the charity at the start. Just, don't push her if she can't commit to anything until she's actually up here." Because if he did, I'd kick his ass.

Alec grinned. "I have three kids, Mr. Cullen. I know not to push a pregnant woman. They tend to push back, really hard."

That sounded like my Reed Girl. "Good. Let me know when things are set with the kid." I realized I didn't know much. "What's his name, anyway?"

"Daniel Prentice. His parents call him Danny."

That was good to know. I'd personalize all the stuff I got him. "Thanks."

"I look forward to working with you, Mr. Cullen."

Mr. Cullen. It made me want to look for my dad. "Call me Edward, Alec."

His smile flashed again. "Edward, then. I'll be in touch soon."

He left, and I took out my phone.

_Hey, J, can you get the team to sign a ball? Meeting a fan with cancer, and he loves the Noles._

Then it was Reed Girl's turn.

_Hey, baby. Can you do me a favor?_

I started the tape back up while I waited for responses. A few minutes later, my phone chimed.

_What do you need me to do?_

Of course my Reed Girl was prompt to reply.

_Can you go to Bill's Bookstore and grab a bunch of stuff for a 9-year-old? Meeting a kid this weekend for Make a Wish._

It didn't take her long to reply.

_I love you. I'm proud of you. And yes, I will get some things. Overnight it?_

I smiled at her words.

_Yes. I love you, too. Nothing to be proud of. Doing what I should do._

Jasper texted as I was typing.

_Will do. Should I send some other stuff?_

I could say plenty of shit about Jasper, but I knew I could count on him to help me out with anything I needed.

_Reed Girl is gonna pick up some things. Get with her so you don't double up. Thanks, man._

Reed Girl responded.

_Yes. I know it's hard for you to be around sick children, but you do it anyway. I'll always be proud of you for doing what's right._

She made me feel damn good when she said things like that. Maybe I could do the same for her.

_I thought of our kid when Alec, who is my new PR guy, by the way, mentioned the boy to me. I felt scared at the thought of anything being wrong with him._

More like fucking terrified.

_That's normal, baby. I'm glad you care, but let's not worry about things that we have no control over._

That was easier said than done.

_I'll try, but there are so many things that could go wrong._

I'd no sooner sent that than my phone rang.

"Hi, baby."

"Hi, worrywart."

I sighed. "I can't help it. I'm meeting a nine-year-old boy that has cancer this weekend. What if-"

"We'll deal with what-if in the unlikely event that it happens. What we're going to do is be the best parents that we can be, and we'll face anything that comes at us together, like we always do. The boy you're going to meet is a fighter, just like our child will be. Anyone who comes from both of us is going to be strong, stubborn, and likely a bit full of himself."

Fuck, the woman knew how to make me laugh and stop my shit before it even started. "He'll obviously get that last one from you."

She giggled. "Oh yeah, I'm really cocky. Ask anyone."

"It's not cockiness, baby. It's confidence."

"Tomato, tomahto, Cullen. Feel better?"

That went without saying.

"Always do when I talk to you."

"Good. Now, do you want to tell me about the several hundred dollars worth of groceries that showed up at my door this morning?"

I grinned. "Nope. I guess the grocery fairy paid you a visit."

"Is that so? Well, next time you talk to the grocery fairy, let him know that he went a bit overboard. There's no way I could begin to eat all of this food."

Well, maybe I had bought a little too much, but still. "The staples will last for a while, I'm sure. And the fruit, vegetables, and meat will likely come weekly."

"You're spoiling me. But I love you for it."

"It's the least I can do."

She laughed. "No, you could do a lot less, but then you wouldn't be you. And I appreciate it. Dinner was great last night, as well."

"Did the soup help you to feel better?"

"Yes. I'm just sorry that I got sick right when things were getting interesting."

I groaned, just remembering. "It's not right that the kid is already cockblocking us."

Her laughter filled the line. "We'll make up for it soon. I promise."

"I'll hold you to that." Now was not the time. Not when I was about to hit the field with fifty-two other men.

"You do that. I know you must be busy, and I've got to head to class."

"Yeah. I love you, Reed Girl."

"I love you, too, Champ. I'll get that package in the mail first thing tomorrow."

"Thanks, baby. Jasper is going to call you. He's getting the team to autograph a ball and maybe some other stuff to send."

"I'll get it all together tonight. He'll have more stuff than he knows what to do with. You're going to make his day, Edward."

"I'm gonna try."

"You'll succeed. I believe in you."

She did. And wasn't that just awesome? "Have a good day at school, baby."

"I will. Kick some ass on the practice field for me."

I laughed. "Count on it. Love you."

"Love you, too. Bye."

Xoxoxoxoxo

Game day rolled around, and I headed to the field extra early so I could meet with Danny and his family. I had a ton of stuff to haul with me, courtesy of Reed Girl and Jasper, including signed balls, helmets, and jerseys.

I did some stretches and jogged around the field a bit until Alec appeared with Sammy and his family in tow. He'd given me a little more info on them, and I knew that he had a twin sister along with his parents. Everyone was decked out in Giants jerseys and hats. I smiled when I saw my number on Danny. His sister was wearing Eli's number ten.

"Hi!" Danny chirped as soon as he got near me.

I grinned and crouched down to his level. He had bright blue eyes and while I didn't know a lot about kids, I knew that he appeared a bit small for his age. His sister, with the same blue eyes, towered over him.

"Hi, Danny. Pleased to meet you. I'm Edward." I held out a hand and bit back a laugh when his eyes got comically wide. He wiped his hand on his jeans before taking my hand and shaking it.

"Whoa! You've got a good grip. Careful, kid, I need that arm," I joked, shaking my arm and flexing my hand a bit when he let go.

Danny laughed. "I didn't hurt you, silly! You're big and strong."

"Could be you don't know your own strength," I told him, meaning it. There the kid was, fighting cancer, and he was smiling and taking it on. He was stronger than I was, for sure.

"He doesn't." His mother stepped forward and offered a hand. "I'm Joyce Prentice. Thank you so much for having us."

"I'm happy to." I shook the father's hand as well. He introduced himself as Steve.

"How could I not meet my biggest fan? I hear you liked me back when I played in college," I said, addressing Danny again. He was looking up at me in awe, those blue eyes of his shining.

"Yeah! You broke the passing record for the entire ACC. And you won the Heisman twice! Only one other guy has done that!"

I chuckled. "You sure know your stuff. And who is this young lady?" I asked, turning to the girl in the Eli jersey.

"That's my sister, Chelsea. She doesn't like you."

This time I did laugh. "Is that so?" I asked at the same that she smacked her brother in the arm.

"Yes. Don't worry, though. She doesn't know football. She just likes Eli."

"He took his job!" she hissed before turning pink when she noticed that her parents were giving her "the look." The one that all parents seemed to know how to give, that says _you're in trouble when we get home._ Fuck. Was I going to have to learn how to do that?

"Well, I think it's cool that Chelsea is loyal to her favorite player. It just so happens that Eli is a friend of mine. I bet he'd be happy to know that he's got such a great fan."

"He is?" she asked, her eyes getting wide like her brother's. "Why would he be your friend when you took his job?"

"Chels," her father said, shaking his head. "Sorry. She doesn't understand the mechanics of football."

I laughed. "It's no problem." I turned back to Chelsea. "Eli got injured and can't play. Somebody needed to step in for him, and the team chose me. Eli has been really cool about it, though, and he helps me get ready for games, gives me advice on what to expect."

"He does?" She took off her hat to scratch her head, and I noticed that she had very little hair.

"He does," I assured her.

Her mother stroked the top of her head fondly. "Chelsea shaved her hair off when her brother started losing his," she murmured softly.

Fuck. That was awesome. I cleared my throat before speaking. "You know, Chelsea, it doesn't seem fair that your brother gets to meet his favorite player while you don't. Hang on a second."

I jogged over to the bench where my bag sat. I hadn't gone to the locker room yet. I got out my phone and dialed Eli, giving him a quick rundown of the situation. He wasn't in town, but he agreed to talk to her.

"Chelsea, your favorite player would like to say hello to you."

I held out my phone, and she let out a loud screech before grabbing it from my hand. "Hello? Eli! Is that really you?" Damned if she didn't wander over to the bench and take a seat, talking away.

"You just made her day," her dad told me.

"It was nothing," I said with a shrug, because it wasn't. I doubted Emmett would have shaved his head for me if I'd gotten sick when I was a kid, and I sure as fuck wouldn't have done it for him. Chelsea was a cool-as-hell kid.

"It was something, trust me," the woman, Joyce, said.

"She probably won't be able to hate you now."

I laughed and bent back down to talk to Danny. "That was my brilliant plan."

"Good one," he said, smiling.

"So, I know you've got a strong arm, just from that hand shake you gave me. How about we throw the ball a little?" I asked.

"Really?" His voice was full of excitement.

"Sure." I grabbed the ball I'd put nearby. "Show me what you got!"

We spent the next thirty minutes or so throwing the ball around while his parents took pictures and chatted with Alec. Chelsea was on my phone the whole time, chattering away. Eli had the patience of a saint, clearly. Good thing the man had daughters. He must know what girls were into.

"That was awesome!" Danny exclaimed. His face was a little flushed, but he seemed happy and his parents didn't look upset about it. I probably should have asked if he was up to physical activity. What did I know?

"You've got a great arm. Maybe you'll be my replacement one day."

His mom gave a sad smile, and his dad put his arm around her. Fuck. Did I say something stupid? They probably didn't even know if he'd be alive in a year. So fucking stupid.

"Maybe! Dad says I can do anything I put my mind to."

His dad smiled. "And you can, Danny."

Thank fuck they didn't seem upset with me. "You know, a big part of being quarterback is being strong in here." I tapped his temple. "If you believe in yourself, you're already halfway there. That works for lots of things."

"Like cancer." Danny nodded. "I know. I'm gonna beat it, and then I'm going to play at Florida State, just like you did."

Fuck. The kid was killing me. There was a lump in my throat that I had to clear before I spoke. "You know, I believe that you will. And we could use a good quarterback."

"Jasper Whitlock is pretty good, but he's not you," Danny announced.

"True. I certainly wouldn't have lost to Miami yesterday." That shit still smarted. I'd sent Jasper some texts to console him, and he'd shot back that he was glad to get the monkey that was me off his back. Now nobody expected him to be perfect like I'd been, so he could just relax and play. Dude was weird.

"No way! You didn't lose to anybody in college."

Translation: you lose some now. I laughed. "Yeah, college is a lot easier than the pros. You'll find that out one day, too. But speaking of college, I have some things for you."

I got the big FSU tote that Reed Girl had sent everything in and handed it over to him. "I think you might like what's inside."

He tore into that bag like it held bricks of gold. Then again, for him, maybe it did. He gasped when he pulled out my autographed jerseys, both FSU and the Giants. Reed Girl had hit my closet down in Tally for the Noles jersey.

"That's a game-worn jersey."

He clutched it to himself. "From the championship game?"

"Yeah, see the patches? That's from the Sugar Bowl when I won my first championship."

"Wow. Dad, do you see?"

His father took the jersey he offered. "Yeah. That's really cool, Danny. Nobody else will have anything like it."

"I can't wait to show my friends!" And he was back in the bag. "A ball! Signed by the Seminoles?"

"Yeah, Jasper got the whole team to sign. He's a friend of mine. That's his jersey there. He signed it for you, too."

"Wow! Dad, do you believe it? The whole team!"

He oohed and ahhed over the piece of sod that I'd had Jasper take from the stadium. Then he held up the helmet. "It's a big helmet."

I laughed. "Yeah, it's a true FSU helmet. I signed that one for you, too."

"To Danny. The next great Seminole quarterback. Your friend, Edward Cullen." He thrust it at his father before throwing his arms around me. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome." I patted his back and tried not to notice that his mother was crying. Hell, part of me wanted to cry.

"Danny, why don't you go show your sister what you got and get her to hang up the phone? Edward has a game to get ready for," his father suggested.

I didn't really want them to leave, but it was true.

"Okay, Dad!" He grabbed the jerseys up and headed over to his sister.

"Thank you," his mother whispered before hugging me. "Just…thank you."

Fucking hell. Tears. Happy ones, maybe, or happy and sad, but I didn't know what to do. I wanted Reed Girl with me in the worst way. I hugged her back, patting her just as awkwardly as I had her son.

"It was-"

"Don't say it was nothing." Her husband pulled Joyce away from me before offering me his hand again. "He's wished for this day for a long time, and honestly, we weren't sure if we'd ever get the chance to meet you. It means everything, not just to him, but to all of us."

"He's a great kid. I meant what I said about how strong he is. I can't imagine going through what he's going through." I didn't want to. "Listen, I don't know how much stuff he has ahead of him, but could you keep in touch? Let me know how he's doing?"

"We can do that. I'm not sure how-"

"Here's my card." Alec handed over one of his ever-ready business cards. "You can call me day or night and I'll get in touch with Edward for you."

I rolled my eyes and took his card. "Give me a pen." Alec did so. I scrawled my cell number on the card. "You can contact me directly."

Steve slipped the card into his wallet. "We will. Thank you. For caring, I mean."

I watched as Danny and his sister walked over, holding hands. She had my Giants jersey while he held on to the Noles one.

"You've got great kids. I can only hope that mine are half as good as yours are."

"We do," he agreed.

Chelsea walked up to me and held out my phone. "Eli says you're a good quarterback and it's okay if I root for you since he can't play."

I grinned at her. "Well, if Eli says I'm okay, it must be true."

"He's going to send me a signed jersey, too."

"I figured he would. Eli's a cool guy."

"He is. And so are you. Thank you for having us at the game. It's going to be lots of fun."

"You're welcome. I hope you have a great time and that you come again someday."

"I will. I might wear your jersey next time," she informed me. I felt as if I'd earned a gold star when she gave me that much.

"Tell you what… I'll send you a signed jersey as well. That way you can support whatever quarterback is playing."

"Cool! Come on, Danny. Let's go get a hot dog!"

"I'm coming. Thanks for all the presents and for teaching me to throw. I'm going to keep practicing."

"You do that." I swallowed the lump in my throat. "You practice a lot, and we'll play again sometime."

"Really?" He turned to his parents. "Can we? Can Edward come over sometime and play?"

"Well, son, I don't know-" his dad started, shooting me an apologetic look.

"I'll come. You practice, and I'll come over and we'll play again, with all your friends." I was going to make that happen.

"Awesome! Chelsea, Edward's coming to our house!"

"Can you bring Eli?" she asked, not seeming as impressed as her brother was.

I had to laugh. "I'll talk to him about it."

"Okay. You can come over, then."

"Why thank you." The kid cracked my ass up. She was a hard one to win over.

"We should get going. Thanks again, Edward."

I shook hands and got hugs from Danny and his mom again. Chelsea gave me a smile and wave. It was something anyway.

"Aren't you forgetting something, Danny?" his dad prompted.

"Oh yeah! I got you something, too!" He did? I watched as he dug in his jeans pocket. He brought out an orange band. "It's a leukemia cancer awareness bracelet. We all have one, and I thought you might like one."

I took it from him, trying my damndest to keep the smile on my face. "Thank you. I'll wear it every day." I slipped it onto my wrist. Fuck. My eyes were watering.

"Enjoy the game. Hey, Danny, who's your favorite receiver?" I asked before he walked away.

"Sammy Maddux."

Good. I smiled. "We've got a long passing play in the game plan that usually goes for a touchdown in practice. If it's open, I'll throw that touchdown for you."

"Awesome!" That got me another hug. "I can't wait!"

Xoxoxoxox

I managed to keep my promise late in the third quarter. I called the play, took a five-step drop, and watched as Sammy streaked down the field. I pump faked to where Paul ran the slant in the middle of the field. The safety bit on it, taking a couple of steps in his direction. I let the ball fly just as Ngata slammed me to the ground. The roar of the crowd let me know that my aim had been true. I stood up and fist pumped before pointing to the owner's box, where Danny and his family were supposed to be sitting, tugging on the bracelet he'd given me. I didn't see him, but I hoped he saw me.

We lost the game. Flacco had a monster day, and the Raven's defense was able to shut down our running game completely. I felt like shit that I hadn't been able to win for Danny, but when I took out my phone after the game, I had a text from an unfamiliar number.

_Great game, Edward! Thank you for my touchdown! Dad said it was okay to send you a text this once. Thanks for the best day ever!_

I felt myself smiling as I replied.

_You can text me anytime, Danny. Sorry we didn't win for you._

I was home before I was able to check my phone again.

_You tried your hardest, right? Then you shouldn't be sorry. You'll get them next time._

That's right, kid. I'll get them next time. Count on it.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N Happy 30th Anniversary to The Breakfast Club! Hey, it's all I got since there's no football right now. Although we have the combine starting this week! And yes, my obsessed self does watch the combine. It's how I pick out future NFL hotties (what up Jimmy Garapolo?) and some potential rookies for fantasy and for my team to draft if they listened to me. They don't, but I dare to dream.**

**And going back to The Breakfast Club, 30 years? Man, I feel old. Not that I was allowed to see it when it first came out, but I know I've seen it a billion times since. It's one of those movies I'll always watch when I run across it on TV, regardless of the fact that I have it on DVD and could watch sans commercials and editing if I wanted. Doesn't matter. I always watch. I think I will watch it today since there's no football to keep me occupied.**

**I loved the responses to last week's chapter! I gave out a lot of virtual hugs for my fellow criers :) I'm glad you all enjoyed a look at the softer side of the NFL. There's way more of players doing things like that than doing the bad things, but that's not fun for the media to talk about, you know? Anyway, it was fun to show that and yes, we will see Danny again!**

**I have my first ever sinusitis or sinus infection or whatever. For now, it's not causing a headache, I just look like I've been punched in the face a few times. I'm quite hot, really. haha I tell you this only because if it does turn into a headache causer, I might not be able to write for a few days. It shouldn't effect next week's posting, I'm fine there, but it could mess with a future week. Hopefully not, just a potential stumbling block. I can write when I look like a failed boxer, but not when the head hurts.**

**I think the 99 cent sale is continuing at TWCS today. I bought 15 books to read yesterday! Quite excited. That'll keep me occupied at least.**

**I hope you all have a wonderful week ahead! Mine will improve when I can breathe again, and when I see weigh-ins for the combine. Hopefully. Somehow I miss it every year. Not cool. Wish me luck on shirtless ogling! I'll wish you the same, even if you don't watch the combine! See you next week!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 23

It had been a long month. The instant the clock had struck zero on our loss to Indy, I'd hurried my ass into the locker room, through the usual bullshit press conference, home to pick up luggage and Rainbow, and straight onto the plane. The only thing that kept me from dwelling on yet another loss was the fact that I was getting married in two days to my Reed Girl.

Never in a million years had I imagined that we'd be four and five. I wasn't a fool; I knew my rookie year wouldn't be a cake walk, but fuck. A losing record? Fuck that noise. I was going to come back from the break and kick all sorts of ass, no matter what. We had three big divisional games coming up, and even though the Cowboys and Eagles were virtually uncatchable and the playoffs were a no-go at this point, I didn't care. We were going to at least finish the season nine and seven. Anything less would be unacceptable.

The plane landed, and I shook off my funk. I wasn't going to think about football until a week from Monday, when I had to return to New Jersey. This week was all about Reed Girl and finally making her mine officially. We'd survived the wedding-planning process with pretty remarkable ease. That was thanks to my mother and the new gray hairs she claimed she sported as a result of stressing on our behalf, but who the fuck cared? I'd pay for her salon visits for the rest of my life if I had to. It wasn't like she didn't already dye that shit anyway. She'd taken more than one picture of my hair to the hairdresser over the years. I couldn't blame her, though. I did have an excellent head of hair.

"Okay, Rainbow. It's time to get off the plane."

Of course she looked at me like I was fucking nuts. She was seated on her own pillow, nestled against the cushy leather seat. She'd legit been served her food on a silver platter. Flying on a private plane was a whole different ballgame from flying commercial. She loved that shit. I'd probably have to spring for a private plane whenever we had to travel with her from now on. She'd expect first class all the way.

The plane had been a wedding present from the team. They were letting me use it to fly down and back home again. Yeah, nobody said being a starting quarterback in the NFL was a bad job.

Reed Girl and I had debated the Rainbow situation ad nauseum. We agreed that the idea of putting her in the wedding wouldn't fly. I'd kind of wanted her to be our ring bearer; however, Rainbow could not be trusted to walk down an aisle, especially on the beach, without stopping to take a shit or creating some kind of havoc. And she sure as shit wouldn't sit and behave like a dog would. She'd come at me as soon as I stepped into sight. But we wanted her with us. She was a huge part of our relationship, and we both felt like she should be nearby. She was going to be at my parents' house for the night. We'd pick her up and take her back to Tally with us the next morning. She'd be pissed, probably, but she couldn't be trusted with anything as sacred as a wedding. At least, that's what Mom said.

I finally coaxed Rainbow into my arms, and we followed the pilot down the stairs, where Reed Girl waited. This private plane shit was awesome. We just went straight from the plane to the car with none of the bullshit security in-between. I was seriously going to save up some money to get my own plane . First class all the way, baby.

Reed Girl was practically bouncing with excitement as I walked toward her. She threw her arms around me and Rainbow, giving me a giant kiss.

"Edward! It's so good to finally have you here."

I knew what she meant. Time had both flown and crawled. My days were busy as shit, but the nights were pretty damn lonely without her, even though we spent most evenings together on Skype or FaceTime. It just wasn't the same when I couldn't touch her.

She released me and took Rainbow. I grabbed the bags from the pilot and took them to the car.

"You remembered your tux, right?"

I had to laugh at that. I'd gotten reminded multiple times every day from my mother, plus a few mentions from Reed Girl herself.

"That's the one thing I had to do. I think I can manage, baby." Just to make sure to drive the point home, I showed her my suit bag.

"Okay, good."

I loaded my shit in the car and took the keys Reed Girl offered me. "I can't wait to get my hands on you. Let's go home so I can."

I totally would have fucked her in the car, or better yet, taken her back on the plane and done her on the cushy bed or even the leather seats, but we had Rainbow in tow and nowhere to leave her that she wouldn't do some damage if she got pissed.

She giggled. "Yeah, we better hurry. I can't guarantee that we won't have some well-meaning visitors tonight."

Fuck that noise. I got Reed Girl and Rainbow settled in the car before whipping out my phone and sending a group text.

_I swear that if any of you fuckers even thinks about calling or coming by tonight, I'll end you. We'll see you tomorrow. Not before, and damn well not after the wedding._

I handed my phone to Reed Girl after I got into the car and started it up. She choked out a laugh as she read what I'd sent.

"Don't you think that's a little rude?"

I shook my head. "Fuck no. It's been three weeks since I've seen you. They see you daily. I'm grateful that they're for you, but not tonight. Tonight you're mine."

She linked her fingers with mine. "I'm always yours." Damn right she was. "But I get it. They'll stay away."

Yes, they would. If threats didn't work, I'd bribe their asses. I knew Shorty could be bought. Jasper was easy. I could promise him a guy weekend or some other bullshit like that. Emmett, too, for that matter. I'd probably want some once the baby came along. Blondie would get it and leave our asses alone without a bribe.

It was great to be home. Reed Girl was next to me, loving on Rainbow and smiling away, and all was right in the world.

She giggled. "Alice says that they'll leave us alone tonight, but tomorrow all bets are off."

What the fuck ever. "I don't want to hear one word about us not spending the night together. The hair and makeup and girly shit can't be done until the day of the wedding, so there's no reason not to spend that night with each other. And that bad luck shit doesn't apply. I go enough days without seeing you."

Reed Girl squeezed my hand. "Nobody is going to make us spend the night apart. I won't let them."

Damn right. And my girl was fierce when she wanted to be, especially now when she had all those weird hormones inside her. I knew I didn't want to piss her off.

My girl laughed again. "Rose says she has no interest in seeing your asshole self anyway."

I snickered at that.

"Jasper says he misses you but he understands."

Jasper was so fucking weird. But at least he wasn't going to bother us.

"Your brother says he'd tell you to fasten the condom properly, but clearly there's no point in that."

Asshat. "Whatever. He probably has twenty kids around the state; he just doesn't know it yet."

Reed Girl rolled her eyes. "No comment, Romeo." She tried to tug her hand from mine, but I held fast.

Oops, that one struck a little too close to home. And the last thing I wanted her thinking of was me with other girls, not when I was finally about to bury myself inside her again. I raised her hand to my lips and kissed her ring finger.

"I haven't thought of another girl since you smacked into me on my field two years ago, baby. Every girl before you meant nothing to me. Maybe that makes me a dick, but it's true. You're the only girl for me. The only one who I want to have my baby and to share my life with. There will never be anyone else. You're my everything."

I pulled into a parking space and turned to look at my Reed Girl. Her eyes were wide, her cheeks were flushed, and she appeared to be breathing heavily.

"Reed Girl? Are you okay?" Fuck, was something wrong with the baby?

She nodded before jerking her seat belt off. What the fuck was going on? Was she pissed off?

"Look, I'm sorry if-"

"Edward, shut up and get upstairs before I rip both our clothes off and attack you right here in the parking lot."

Well, fuck me, I didn't need to be told twice. I was up and out of the car in record time. Reed Girl giggled as I left all the bags behind and steered her toward the stairs. Rainbow yelled about the abrupt movement, but I didn't give a fuck.

The instant we were inside the apartment, Reed Girl set her down, and she went off to reacquaint herself with her surroundings. I didn't see where she took off to because all I could see was my girl.

"Baby, did you-" was all I got out before she whipped off her shirt and out came her fantastic fucking breasts. They were definitely bigger. I went to grab them as she pushed me against the wall and started kissing me frantically.

Yes, apparently she'd meant what she said. She was tugging at both my shirt and my zipper, like she wasn't sure where to start. I broke our kiss and yanked off my shirt, throwing it across the room.

Reed Girl moaned and ran her hands over my chest. "So sexy. You can't even know."

But I did know, because she was fucking gorgeous. Her skin was soft as silk and her tits were magnificent. I unhooked her bra and got my fill of those babies, squeezing and flicking her nipples with my thumbs.

Her hands moved back down to my pants, and she reached inside, stroking me and making my eyes cross. Holy fuck. I didn't know if her desperation was due to hormones, our separation, our upcoming wedding, or a combination of the three, but it was fucking awesome.

I took my hands off her tits long enough to undo her pants. She stepped back, kicked off her shoes, and shed her jeans and underwear, standing in front of me totally naked. She was sexier than ever. The tits I couldn't get enough of, some new curves. She was fuller, somehow, and not in a bad way. There was no sign of the baby yet, but she was changing. And she was sexy as hell.

"You're so beautiful, baby. Sexy."

She bit her lip and reached for my jeans. I kicked off my shoes and helped her free me. I was hard as fuck, aching and ready for her. I reached toward her pussy, wanting to get her as worked up as I was, but she shook her head.

"Now, Edward. I want you to fuck me right now."

Hottest words ever. I started to steer her toward the bedroom, but she resisted.

"Right here. Right now."

I wasn't about to argue with her. If she wanted to be fucked against the living room wall, so be it. I lifted her and pressed her back against the wall, making sure I had a decent grip before I drove into her. We both gasped at the way it felt when I slid home.

Her beautiful eyes met mine as she wrapped her legs around my waist. "I missed you."

I smiled. "You sure know how to show me, baby. But I missed you, too."

"Show me," she ordered, arching against me.

So I did. I started with slow strokes, but neither of us had much patience for that. She tightened her hold on me and demanded more, so I pounded into her with all I had. It wasn't long before we were both gasping and sweaty. I came harder than I had in ages when she clenched around me. We stayed like that for a few moments, catching our breath.

Eventually I remembered that she was pregnant and I should probably feed her and get her into bed. I carried her over to the couch and sat with her straddling me.

"Why don't we order some food? You can get a bath, and I'll go down, get the luggage and some dinner?" I may have addressed the comments to her boobs, but it couldn't be helped. They were incredible.

"Or, we could go into the bedroom and you could get acquainted with these." She cupped her tits. "I have crackers next to the bed."

Was it any wonder I was marrying her in two days?

"Crackers and those? Sounds perfect to me."

I carried her to the bedroom. It was time to get reacquainted with all of her. Thank fuck.

Xoxoxoxoxox

We started the morning with Reed Girl puking. Technically I could have pretended not to hear her and gone back to sleep, but that would make me a shitty almost-husband. So I got out of bed, grabbed her water bottle, and went into the bathroom. She groaned when she heard me but didn't look up from her spot on the floor.

"I brought you some water, baby."

She took it and swished some in her mouth before spitting it out in the toilet. Huh. I didn't quite know how to react to that. Then again, the only time she'd ever puked around me before had been after one night of way too much drinking. And I'd been too wasted to really notice.

"Thanks."

She started to pull herself up, which was just ridiculous. I helped her to her feet. She flushed the toilet and went to the sink, immediately turning on the water and brushing her teeth.

"Sorry you had to see that," she told me when she was done.

Like _I_ was the issue here? "I'm sorry you had to go through it. Every day, huh?"

Reed Girl laughed. "Like clockwork. At least it's only once a day now. Hopefully it'll be done soon."

Who knew? According to the book, some women were sick their whole pregnancy. It fucking sucked. I wrapped my arms around her, and she buried her face against my chest.

"Are you okay?" I asked, because really, what could I do?

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just need to eat some toast or something-"

That I could fucking do! "I'm on it." I pulled her into the living room, slipped some bread into the toaster, and got her a fresh glass of water and a glass of milk, which made her laugh when I placed them in front of her. "The book says both are good."

She giggled. "That book is your bible right now."

Well, of course it was. I wanted Reed Girl to be as healthy and comfortable as she could be during this whole pregnancy thing. The book had the answers. Too many of them, if I was being honest. But I hadn't seen any of those veins or heard her let one rip like I kind of feared. And the only vaginal discharge I'd seen had been her usual turned-on wetness, thank fuck. Not that I wouldn't still love her, but some things didn't really need to be shared, right?

The toast popped, so I went back into the kitchen to get it. "Do you want anything on it?" Jelly was out, because there was too much sugar. Maybe peanut butter?

"Just dry, thanks."

Gross, but probably better for her anyway. I brought it to her on a plate and watched her nibble. Rainbow hopped up between us on the couch, shooting me a look before she turned a couple of circles and plopped down.

"What? It's not like you had to get up with us." But of course she did, because she couldn't stand to be left out of shit.

Reed Girl laughed. "I think you two argue more than you and I do."

I couldn't deny it. "That's because she's a pain in the ass. You should have seen her on the plane. She was like the queen of the damn thing, sitting on her pillow and getting served on a silver platter. She's gonna expect that shit at home, just you wait and see."

Rainbow showed that she didn't give a shit what I was saying when she lifted a leg and began to groom herself.

"Like you don't spoil her?" Reed Girl rolled her eyes. "God help me when this one comes along." She patted her belly. "The kid will be born with a silver spoon in his mouth."

I got a hilarious image of coming out with said spoon and joined her in laughter. "Fuck the silver spoon. It'll be a golden football in his hand."

She smiled. "Are you ready for today?"

Right. Before we headed to Jacksonville, we were going to have our ultrasound thing. "Of course I am." Sort of. I felt a little fluttery inside about it, if I was being honest, but I wanted to be there. "What time?"

Reed Girl reached over and took my hand. "Our appointment is at eleven. I have Music Theory at eight, so I wanted to give us enough time for me to meet you and then head over."

I raised an eyebrow. "What's this meet me shit? I'm going to take you to class."

"You are?"

She sounded surprised. "Of course I am. It's nice out. I'll sit outside your building and let the student body admire me again."

That got me a both a punch in the arm and a full-out belly laugh from my girl. "It's good to see your ego is still fully intact. Let the stroking commence!"

"Well, if you really want to talk about stroking…" I palmed my cock and made her laugh even harder.

"Sorry, Champ, but you're going to have to take care of that yourself. I have to get a shower and get ready for class."

"I need a shower, too," I told her suggestively.

"Really? After you just saw me puke? It must be love."

"It is. So, am I invited?"

She laughed and got to her feet. "Always. You coming?"

"Not yet, but hopefully soon. Later, Rainbow. I'm going back to school."

Xoxoxoxoxo

I had to admit, I enjoyed the attention. I mean, yeah, I got a lot of it on the rare occasions that I went out with the guys after practice or a game. But this was different. I was a god at this school. Maybe if I won a Super Bowl or two it would be like that in Jersey, but I doubted it. There was just something about college. Fans were more obsessive, I think.

Anyway, I didn't spend a minute alone once Reed Girl disappeared into her classroom. Guys came up to talk about yesterday's game or to chat about the Noles. Two losses wasn't something they were used to in Tally these days. It was a bit of a shock to them, much like my losses in the NFL were to me. Losing fucking sucked.

And of course, girls came over, but I shot that shit down real fast by flashing my ring and talking about my wife. She would be in one day. So fucking awesome. My wife and the mother of my kid. The flutters in my stomach started up the closer we got to the appointment. I wasn't sure what I was so nervous about. It wasn't coming out yet or anything.

I'd just brushed off a redhead with a fake rack when the doors opened and people started streaming out. I got to my feet and headed that way, grinning when my girl appeared. The grin faded though when I saw who was chatting her up. You had to be fucking kidding me. That asshat was still around?

"I haven't seen you in the music store lately. Don't tell me you're not playing anymore?"

Reed Girl shook her head. "I am, but-"

"I special order her reeds," I finished, sliding my arm around her and glaring down at the tool who thought he was allowed to talk to her. "Only the best for my girl, after all."

Loser Jacob took a step back. Good. Keep on stepping, fucker.

"Oh, that's nice," he muttered, not meeting my eyes. Of fucking course. Coward. He was still a scrawny little fuck. How he thought he ever had a shot with my girl was beyond me.

"I'm sure I'll come in again soon. I think my tenon cork needs replacing."

Her what? "I can just get you a new-" I broke off when she elbowed me in the gut.

The moron's face lit up, like she'd just told him she was dumping my ass for his. Like that would ever fucking happen. "We can totally help with that. Come in anytime. I'm working tomorrow if you want to stop by."

Like hell. "Sorry, we're getting married tomorrow." Ha! Fucker didn't expect that. He totally winced. Oh, well. Too bad, so sad, Jacob. She's mine. Always has been, always will be.

"But I'll stop in sometime soon." Reed Girl took my hand. "Take care, Jacob."

"Yeah, have a good night, kid. You know I will." I smirked at his ass as I led my girl away.

"What was that?" she demanded when we got to the car.

"What was what?" I asked innocently, unlocking it and helping her inside.

She smacked at my hands when I tried to put her seat belt on for her. "I'm not an invalid. Why were you such a jerk to Jacob?"

That was a dumb question. "He wants you."

She rolled her eyes. "So? It's not like he even made a move on me. He just asked when I was coming into the store again. He knows that I'm engaged to you."

Maybe, but he was a dude. He imagined fucking her, regardless. That was just how we worked. I went around to my door and slid into the car.

"While you were in class, two girls asked me if I wanted to go out for a cup of coffee, and one offered to take me back to her room and make me forget all about you."

"That bitch!" Reed Girl seethed, her hands clenching into fists. "Where is she?"

I laughed as I started the car. "See? You're just as territorial as I am. The only difference is that you're a lot nicer to the guys that hit on you than I am to the girls."

Reed Girl raised a brow. "What did you say to her?"

"That there wasn't any way in hell that a cheap, fake bimbo could ever make me forget about the woman I was going to marry. Then I told her that her implants were lopsided. She ran off after that."

She stared at me for several moments before she burst out laughing. "I don't know whether to hit you or kiss you."

"I'm in favor of the kiss, personally. But if you want to get a little rough…" That got me the punch, along with a giggle.

"Come on, jerk. We have an appointment to get to." Then she gave me a smacking kiss anyway.

"I may be a jerk, but I'm your jerk." I pulled out onto the street.

"Yes, you are. And if you see that girl again, be sure to point her out. I'll be happy to enlighten her to that fact."

She was so fucking hot when she got territorial. It made me hard, but of course I couldn't do shit about it now. Damn doctor's appointment. And _that_ was an asshole thought. The appointment was a good thing. I was going to get to see my kid for the first time.

"What's that face for?" Reed Girl asked.

"What face?" I asked, even though I knew what I'd been thinking about and how she wouldn't like it.

"That's your guilty face. What did you do?" She bit her lip. "Did you want to hook up with her?"

Jesus fucking Christ, really? "I told you what I said to her. If I wanted to hook up with her, I doubt that would be my response, baby."

"Then why did you look guilty?" She sounded like she was near tears.

Fucking hormones. I had to remember that Reed Girl wasn't normal Reed Girl anymore. The baby made her all weepy and insecure and shit.

"Because you wanting to kick that girl's ass turned me on and I wished that I could fuck you now instead of going to see the baby, which made me feel like an asshole because that's probably the wrong way to think."

I was prepared for anything. A smack, tears, maybe some sulking. Instead, she laughed like a loon.

Finally she calmed down enough to speak. "Oh, Edward! You don't need to feel guilty about wanting me. Never feel bad about that."

"You're crazy, you know that?"

She wiped tears from her eyes, but at least they were from laughing, thank fuck.

"I know. It's like, I can tell these feelings are all wrong, but they still come out anyway. I'm sorry. You have to know that I don't doubt you at all."

"I do, baby." I pulled the car into the parking lot at the doctor's office. "Now, let's go see our kid."

The waiting room was a little freaky, I'm not going to lie. There were two really pregnant women in there, and I was afraid one of them would pop a kid out before she got back to the doctor. They were rather huge. I couldn't picture Reed Girl with a belly that big. Wouldn't she topple over if she tried to stand?

"Stop staring," she hissed at me, but damn, it's not like I could help it. I swear I saw the kid moving in there.

"I think it might pop out of her stomach like in _Alien,"_ I whispered.

"That's not how it works."

I knew that. I didn't want to think about that part. I didn't know if I would be able to handle watching my kid come out of my favorite area. I might never look at it the same way again, which would be a real fucking shame. Too bad it wasn't like the old days, and I could just wait in the waiting room while she did all the work. I would never say that shit out loud, though; it might get me killed. And I did want to be there when my baby was born. I just didn't want to _see_ the process. That wasn't so wrong, was it?

Finally, they called us back; thankfully after the lady that might have an alien birth had been seen. I really wasn't ready to be part of the birth process for anyone other than Reed Girl, that was for sure.

Reed Girl made me stand aside while she got weighed, which was fucking hilarious. She hadn't gained that much and she certainly wasn't fat, so I didn't know what her problem was, but I humored her because I wanted to get laid on my wedding night. It was best not to piss her off right before the wedding.

Eventually we were situated and Reed Girl was settled on the crinkly paper. She'd worn a button-down shirt, and I figured out why when the doctor came in and she unbuttoned from the bottom up, keeping her chest covered. The doctor rubbed some gel on her stomach, which made her suck in her breath.

The doctor was a man, which I didn't much care for if I was being honest. I was making damn sure we had a female doctor in Jersey. I still needed to get with Eli about that.

"Cold, baby?"

"No, it just tickles. And I'm excited."

I held her hand as the doctor used some wand thing, putting it on various places on her belly. All of a sudden, the room filled with a rapid whooshing sound.

"What's that?" Surely it wasn't my kid's heartbeat. That was much too fast. Something was wrong with it. This wasn't good.

"Your baby's heartbeat. It sounds perfect."

No it didn't. It was wrong. Fuck. "It's too fast. That can't be right."

"A baby's heart rate is much faster than a normal resting adult," Doctor Dumbass informed me haughtily.

Like I was supposed to know that shit? "But it's all right, then?"

"Yes, perfect." Thank God. Damn right my kid was perfect. It was made by Reed Girl and me. Couldn't get much better than that.

The doctor asked Reed Girl a bunch of questions while he ran a different wand over her belly. They talked about morning sickness, exercise, health, all the stuff I'd been addressing with her that the book talked about. He seemed pleased with her answers.

He showed us that pictures were starting to come over the monitor. Holy shit. It actually looked sort of like an actual baby. I mean, the features weren't really there yet, but I could make out the head and the body. The doctor pointed it out, as well, but I was already on top of that shit. I had already looked at some sonogram pictures on the internet so I could be prepared for the blob I expected to see. But no, that was my kid. And he was awesome.

"Look, Edward. You see?" Reed Girl was all teary, of course, but I kind of couldn't blame her.

I kissed her cheek. "I sure do. That's our baby." It was real. I'd heard his heartbeat, and now I could see him. We were having a baby. It was pretty fucking cool.

"We'll print out some pictures for you to take, if you'd like."

"Hell yes." Reed Girl shot me a look. "I mean, yes, thank you. That would be very nice."

He laughed and started to wipe the gel stuff off my girl's stomach. I took the paper from him and did it myself. No way was he touching her more than necessary. That was my job.

"Okay, then, do you have any questions?"

I probably did, but I couldn't really think of any right now. My eyes were stuck on the screen, looking at the image of my kid. He was already a lot bigger than he'd been when Reed Girl had seen him, since she could barely make him out.

"What are you thinking?" Reed Girl asked, sitting up and buttoning her shirt.

"That's our baby," I said, because that was all I could think.

She laughed. "Yeah, it is."

"It's really fucking cool."

"Yes, it definitely is."

"And he's perfect. The doctor said so."

She grinned. "He didn't say it was a he, but yes. Everything is perfect."

It was a he. I knew it. When would his dick be visible? I needed to research that.

"You're smiling," Reed Girl told me.

Shouldn't I be? "Well, yeah. We got to see our kid today. And tomorrow you're going to be my wife. Life is pretty fucking good right now."

"Yes it is, Champ. Yes it is."


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N Happy Oscars Sunday! Hey, it's all I've got sans football. Plus, I love watching the Oscars, even though this year I've only seen one of the Best Picture noms. I'm a sucker for awards shows.**

**So, I posted the first chapter of Sideline Collision 4 years ago this past week. Thanks to twifictionrecs for pointing that out! It's hard to believe these two have been in our lives for 4 years, isn't it? In honor of that, and because so many of you assumed that this chapter was the wedding chapter, I've decided to post this chapter and next together today. Because yes, Chapter 25 is the actual wedding. I had a couple things I wanted to do before getting to that. It seems like I should get these two hitched close to their posting anniversary. This means, however, that I'm not posting next week, since I'm giving you 2 this week. This gives me another little mini-break and keeps me on schedule. So, enjoy!**

**I've posted links on my profile for Bella's dress and their venue, so you can get the general idea. Our Edward wasn't going to rhapsodize over her dress, though he loves it, and neither am I, so it's better if you see it yourself :)**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy the big day and the stuff leading up to it! I'll see you in two weeks with more. I'm off to post and watch some more of the combine. Yes, I've had it on a lot this weekend. They did not air weigh-ins, much to my utter consternation, but it's still fun to watch the drills (for a football nerd like me anyway). Have a great couple of weeks. See you in 2!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 24

We didn't stay at my parents' house for too long. My mother was so busy barking orders into the phone that I was pretty sure she hadn't even really noticed we were there. Well, she noticed Reed Girl was, because she needed to fawn over the non-existent baby bump, but I may as well have been chopped liver. It was pretty clear that my days of being the favored son were over. I barely got a hug before she asked where my tux was, if I had the rings, and if Jasper had his shit situated. Like I fucking knew?

Thankfully, she was too focused on flowers and food to harass me for long. Before she could put me to work doing God knew what, we got out of there and headed to the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, where our wedding was to be held the next evening. I was pleased to see that we had the best room in the place. It was fucking huge and had three balconies that overlooked the ocean.

"Oh, wow," Reed Girl breathed as she moved through the room. "This is beautiful."

It really kind of was. I opened the balconies and let the sound of the ocean into the room. I walked out and looked at the beach. Tomorrow I was getting married right there. It was pretty fucking mind-blowing.

"You should see the tub!" Reed Girl came out and threw her arms around me from behind. "It's marble along the sides and definitely big enough for two."

I tugged her around me and caged her between my arms. "We'll have to take advantage of that later."

She leaned against me and looked out at the water. "It's gorgeous. I can't believe we're getting married right there."

I chuckled. "I was just thinking that it was mind-blowing. We finally made it." I kissed the back of her neck, making her sigh.

"It really hasn't been that long since we got engaged. Your mom put this all together in a month. She's a wonder."

Yeah, she was. "If we weren't already giving her exactly what she wanted, I'd have to get her an awesome present or something."

Reed Girl turned to look at me. "What are you giving her?"

I kissed her nose. "A grandkid. Nothing we ever give her could top that, unless we give her more."

She laughed. "You're right. And we will give her more, one day."

More? "How many more do you want?" We'd talked about kids in the abstract but never really put a number on it.

She shrugged. "At least one more. I was an only child, you know. I always wanted a sibling."

"They're not always what they're cracked up to be," I pointed out. Emmett was a pain in the ass most of the time. But I probably wouldn't get rid of him if I had a choice to be an only child. We'd had a lot of fun growing up. And he'd taught me quite a bit, even if most of it was wrong, especially when it came to girls. Still, it had served me pretty well pre-Reed Girl.

"You love Emmett."

I snorted at that.

"Anyway, I've always pictured at least two, with an option for three."

I could deal with that. "But not right away, right?" I still hadn't wrapped my head around this baby. I was getting used to the idea, but shit still freaked me out.

"We have plenty of time," she assured me. "Oh, shit! We forgot to show your mother the sonogram picture."

I laughed. "Baby, I'm saving that shit for when she starts freaking out about table settings or some shit tomorrow. We'll give her the photo and distract her."

She snickered. "That's a good idea. You know, we have a few hours before the others get here."

That was true. We weren't doing the typical bachelor/bachelorette party thing-there didn't seem to be any point-so we'd decided to just do dinner the night before with our core group. My teammates were coming in tomorrow, as were Charlie and the rest of the family. The guys were golfing of all fucking things, and the girls were hitting the hotel spa for primping before the wedding. Shit was handled, thanks to my mom. I really should buy her something awesome.

Reed Girl was looking at me expectantly. Shit. I'd gotten lost in my head.

"What would you like to do, baby?" She yawned before I even finished the sentence. "How about a nap?"

She shook her head. "How about we change into bathing suits and hit the pool? I can nap a little there if I need to."

Why not? We should do something honeymoonish. Most of the week was going to be spent with her in school. We needed to enjoy the time we did have. It might be short, but I was going to make it incredible anyway. That reminded me…I needed to talk to the hotel manager about a few things I needed done tomorrow. My mom wasn't the only one who could work a little magic.

"Let's go swimming."

Xoxoxoxox

"This place is even better than the pictures your mother sent!" Alice clapped her hands and whirled around the lobby like the fucking Tazmanian devil. "I can't wait to hit the spa."

Of course she couldn't. I disentangled myself from Jasper's bone-crushing hug.

"You should see our room. It's huge! And the tub is amazing," Reed Girl told her.

Damn right it was. And two fit in it perfectly. We'd made use of it after the pool. So far, this wedding was off to an awesome start. Just saying.

"Can you believe it, bro? Both Cullen brothers officially off the market before the age of twenty-five. All over the country-no, the world-women are in mourning right about now." My brother smacked me on the back, laughing heartily at his own wit.

"Crying tears of happiness that they don't have to worry about getting fucked and ducked, maybe," Blondie said sarcastically. "Hey, Edward. Nice digs."

I grinned at her. "Thanks. I had absolutely nothing to do with it."

"Don't I know it…Your mother should go on a retreat for the next month just to make up for this past one. She's been a woman on a mission since the baby news broke."

Now there was an idea. I needed to talk to Dad.

"Ready to stuff your faces?"

Reed Girl laughed. "That's for tomorrow night, when I don't have to fit into a wedding dress any longer."

Shorty shook her head. "Bella's been weighing herself several times a day, I swear. You haven't gained a pound," she told her.

I nearly opened my mouth, but I refrained at the last second. I really did want to get married tomorrow.

"Yes, I most certainly have. Although all of them are in my boobs." Reed Girl grinned at me. "I can't believe you didn't comment on that."

"I didn't want you to divorce me before you even married me."

That set everyone off.

"Then she wouldn't get a dime. Bella's too smart for that."

Reed Girl nodded at Blondie's comment.

I poked her in the side. "Please, we all know she's marrying me for my body. And who can blame her? Look at me."

"Are you gonna let him get away with that?" Blondie demanded of my girl.

She laughed. "I wouldn't, if one of the waitresses hadn't literally walked into the pool because she was staring at him as he took off his shirt."

That shit had been priceless.

"Who can blame her?" That comment would have been awesome if it hadn't come from Jasper.

I started to say God knew what when he continued. "Wait until she gets a load of all three of us. They might have to close the pool."

Thank fuck. He wasn't secretly pining for me. Maybe. Fuck it. Who cared? I was marrying Reed Girl tomorrow. That was all that mattered.

"Let's get in there. Our reservations are for six thirty." And I wanted time alone with Reed Girl. Guy time could wait until tomorrow. We headed into the nicest restaurant at the resort, a place called Salt, which had me a bit worried.

"You shouldn't have too much salt. It's not good for you," I murmured to Reed Girl as I helped her into her seat. We had a table right by the window, which let us look out at the water. The sun was just setting, and it was fucking stunning.

"I won't," she told me, smiling as she looked around. "Can you believe it? This time tomorrow we're going to be getting married."

We'd chosen to have a sunset wedding. It would be a little cooler temperature-wise, and the light in the sky was going to be awesome.

"I can't wait, baby."

"It's going to be beautiful. Look at that sky." Shorty was positively beaming. "Maybe we should have a sunset wedding, Jaspy."

"Anything you want, Wife. The setting will pale in comparison to your beauty, regardless."

What the ever-living fuck? But Shorty planted a big kiss on him after he spouted his romantic crap. Of course she ate that shit up.

"This all looks so good. Maybe I'll have the fish."

I cringed when Reed Girl said that. "The book says-"

"Yeah, yeah. To limit my intake. And I think I had tuna once since I found out I was pregnant. The chicken sounds better anyway."

Now I felt like an asshole. "I'll get fish, and we can split it, okay?" I'd wanted steak, but I could sacrifice for my Reed Girl.

That made her smile. I noticed that none of our friends ordered anything alcoholic in solidarity with my girl. That was pretty fucking awesome. Then again, maybe they were saving up for tomorrow. We had an open bar after all.

After the waiter had gone, Reed Girl shot Jasper a look. "I'd like to thank you for buying Edward all those books. I really love getting random texts asking if I'm getting enough fiber and staying regular, since pregnant women can get constipated easily."

My brother choked on a piece of bread. "Holy shit! Are you serious?"

Okay, so that text had been a little much, but I'd mostly been joking. Mostly. "The book says-"

"That, right there! He says 'the book says' about twenty times a day. If you weren't marrying one of my best friends, I'd be forced to kill you," she told Jasper.

"I was just trying to help! Edward likes to be prepared. You know he does! That's why he studied tape for longer than the coaches, even. I think he's studied some of my game tape longer than I have this season."

"Which explains why you lost two games," I said, shaking my head.

Jasper shrugged. "It is what it is. The playoffs are out, but we can still win the ACC."

"And beat Florida. You'd better fucking beat Florida." I would accept nothing less.

"Of course. The season's a success if we do that."

For him, maybe. It was good that he didn't want to play in the NFL. He didn't have the right mindset for it. He had the skills but not the desire.

"I'm whipping the fools into shape," my brother announced. "And you should see the stud quarterback we're recruiting right now. He's as good as you are."

Fuck that noise. Nobody was. "Call me when he wins two championships and two Heismans."

Reed Girl giggled. "Come on, Champ. Don't you want us to win without you?"

"Of course I do. And we can. But it's ludicrous to suggest that some high schooler can do better than I did."

"He could. If he wins three championships." My brother smirked at me.

"I'd have won three if I stayed. And odds are if he was that good, he'd leave after two years anyway."

"Don't worry, Edward. He's not as good as you are." Jasper shook his head emphatically. "I've seen the tape. You're way better."

"Of course he's not," Reed Girl agreed, putting her hand on my knee. "I don't call him Champ for nothing."

My brother started to open his fool mouth, but Blondie elbowed him. "How about we talk about something else? Did you guys see the doctor today?"

Fuck yes. It was time to change the subject. I whipped out the picture I now carried in my wallet and passed it around. Everyone oohed and aahed over it.

"Look at the size of that head! He's definitely your kid." Emmett boomed out a laugh.

"The picture is magnified, dumbass. He's the size of a plum right now."

"A plum? Why would you compare it to food?"

The fact that my brother asked the same shit I did was disturbing. "The book uses food comparisons. I have no idea why. It's pretty fucked up."

"I'll say."

I told them all about hearing the heartbeat and how fucking cool it was, even if the dickhead doctor had made me feel like an idiot for worrying about the speed.

Our food showed up, and Reed Girl cleared her throat. "I… _we,_ just wanted to thank you for all you've done for us this past month-and these past couple of years, actually. We definitely wouldn't be here without all of you. We're glad we get to spend the night before our wedding with you, our best friends, our family. Thanks for being here for us."

Damn, my girl nailed it. I kissed her cheek. "I second that. You guys have been there for Bella when I couldn't be, and I can't think you enough for that. Having you all nearby has kept me sane." When Bella chuckled, I grinned. "More or less, anyway. Thank you all."

Shorty sniffled. "We love you guys. We'd do anything for you."

Reed Girl raised a brow at me. Damn it. "We love you, too."

Blondie smirked, my brother guffawed, Shorty sobbed, and Jasper just glowed at my words. Fucking hell. But it was true. I did love the fuckers, even if they drove me nuts most of the time. I trusted them with Reed Girl, which was the same as trusting them with my life. Couldn't get any better than that.

Reed Girl held her wine glass filled with water up. "To friendship. No matter how far apart our lives take us, we'll always be there for one another."

"We will," everyone echoed.

Okay, enough of the mushy shit. "Let's eat. We need our energy for tomorrow." First to get through the usual wedding drama, and then, the good stuff, marrying Bella and starting our honeymoon. I couldn't fucking wait.

Xoxoxoxoxox

The day started much too fucking early, considering that we weren't getting married until sunset. But apparently it took women all fucking day to get ready for a wedding. I'd thought about protesting, but Shorty hadn't wanted to hear a word. And Blondie threatened to sic my mother on me, so I shut up. At least they had the decency to send up food before they left.

Unfortunately, the girls being up and about meant that the morons were as well. I'd no sooner taken my first bite of eggs then there was a knock at my door. I could hear my brother's loud-ass voice before I even opened it.

"No, you don't give her a piggyback ride over the threshold. He has to carry her like this."

Yes, my brother scooped Jasper into his arms and grinned at me. "Are your puny muscles ready for this?" He swept past me, still carrying Jasper, who sent me a little wave.

"I think I can manage. Do the girls know about you two?"

"Ha ha. Jasper said he was going to give Alice a piggyback ride when their time came." Emmett dumped Jasper on the couch.

He bounced off and hit the floor, scowling. "That hurt! He's not going to put Bella down like that."

"No, but I'm not going to bang you either."

Fucker. "I'm not going to bang her, for fuck's sake. That's my wife you're talking about, asshole."

Emmett grinned. "Oh, I'm sorry! Make loooooooove."

"Fuck off." Reed Girl and I needed to revisit the siblings-for-our-kid discussion. Emmett was a pain in the ass.

"Don't cheapen what they have together. It's beautiful," Jasper admonished him.

I had no reply to that. "What are you fuckers doing here? Don't we have time before…fuck." It was already almost ten? When the fuck did that happen?

"Tee time, bro! Dad's downstairs. You know, I hate to kick your ass on your wedding day, but it can't be helped. I'm going to wipe the course with you."

Like I fucking cared? "Golf, the sport of middle-aged fat guys everywhere. No wonder you're good at it."

I ducked when he hurled a throw pillow at my head. "Hey! No fucking with the face! Mom would kick your ass if you fucked up the photos."

Emmett visibly paled. "Fuck. I didn't hit you, did I?"

"Like your slow ass could ever hit me? Please."

He glared at me. "You're just lucky that you're getting married today, or I'd take your ass down."

"Keep dreaming."

I pulled on some shorts and a T-shirt. I also put on a hat and grabbed sunscreen. Mom would have a fit if I was red in the photos.

"Let's do this."

Xoxoxoxoxox

Somewhere around the fourth hole, I got an itch to talk to my father. I purposely sliced my ball into the trees near where he was. Emmett and Jasper were on the green, so we sent them ahead.

"Is there a reason why you deliberately hit your ball over here?" he asked as he sized up his shot.

"How do you know I did that?"

He laughed. "Well, let's see. I've been watching you play sports since you were about four years old. I know what you're capable of. What's on your mind?"

"I don't know. I'm getting married today. Shouldn't we talk?"

"Talk about what? You're not having second thoughts, are you?"

What the fuck? "Dad? Seriously?" Some father. Joe Montana would totally give his son some fatherly advice right about now.

He chuckled and took his shot. Right into a bunker. Ha! The fucker deserved it.

"Well, I was going to give you all my sage advice right before the wedding, but if you want to do it here and now, I suppose we can."

"You were going to talk to me?" Why that made me feel better, I couldn't say.

"Of course. It's not every day that my son gets married. And the other one didn't exactly give me a chance to advise him." He smirked. "More's the better. Then I can't be blamed when he fucks it up. And he will. I'm pretty sure your mom dropped him on his head a time or two when he was a baby."

I had to laugh at that. "It would explain a lot."

"Yes." He waited for me to take my shot, which of course landed within five feet of the flag. "I need to get out of the office more," he muttered.

Jasper and Emmett were waiting by the green, but Dad waved them off. "Play ahead. We'll catch up in a few."

"I've wanted to check in with you a few times since the baby news hit, but I thought maybe you needed a little time."

I snorted. "Try a lot of time. I'm still trying to get my head around it, but I'm doing better, I think."

I swallowed my suddenly dry throat before I asked the question I'd been wondering about for the past month. "Do you think I'm going to be good at it?"

Dad had been about to drop into the bunker, but he stopped. "Good at what? Being a father?"

"No, at being a quarterback! Of course at being a father. Sheesh."

He shook his head. Fuck. I knew it. I was going to suck at it. Even my own dad thought so.

"Yes, you're going to be a good father."

I blew out a breath. Thank fuck.

"After all, you learned from the best. How could you go wrong?"

"Ass," I muttered, making him laugh.

"Don't you think I'm a good father?" He cocked an eyebrow at me, obviously waiting for me to agree with him.

"Most of the time. When you're not making fun of me for not knowing that I'm in love or thinking that I'm going to be a shitty father."

He grinned. "Fair enough. Other than that, though? What kind of father did you think I was?"

I shrugged. "Good, I guess. I mean, you always came to my games and stuff. And you listened to me when I needed to talk. You yelled at me when I fucked up."

He nodded. "And you did plenty of that."

I glared at him.

"The best fathers, the type of father that I tried to be, are the ones who make time for their kids. They listen to them, they help them when they can, and they step back and let them fuck up now and then, always ready to pick up the pieces if need be." He held up a finger and took his shot, finally getting on the green.

"Do I worry about you? Of course. That's my job. But it's not because I think you're going to fail." He clapped a hand on my shoulder. "All your life you've been freakishly good at everything you set your mind to. I have every faith that if you want to be a good father, that's exactly what you will be. And you have everything you need to help you do that."

He believed in me. That was fucking awesome. "You, you mean?"

"Yes, me and your mother. That goes without saying. But I'm talking about Bella. I've worried about many things when it came to you and women, until she came along. She's changed you for the better. And she won't let you fail, at least not for long. She'll pick you up when you fall down, and you'll do the same for her. Having a woman, the right woman, at your side goes a long way toward getting fatherhood right."

We walked over to our balls. He was still farthest from the hole, naturally.

"I always made it a point to be at all your important activities. Your games, your parent-teacher conferences, those silly school performances they make you do when you're little. Those, Edward…those are the things that are important. Being there. Your life is pretty chaotic, and God knows you don't have normal hours. You might miss some of those important things. But if you make the effort to be there when you can and let your son or daughter know why you had to miss those things you had to miss, you should be fine. If you can't get to a concert, you have them give you your own private showing. Make time. That's the most important thing."

He missed the hole by about two feet. "Clearly I didn't spend my free time brushing up on my golf game."

I laughed. "That's true."

He shot me the bird.

"That's not very fatherly."

"You're not too old for me to smack around, kid."

I snorted at that. "You never raised a hand to me in your entire life."

"Clearly an oversight that needs correcting." He took off my hat and ruffled my hair. Fucker. Oh well, I needed a shower anyway. "Are you ready to go find your brother and Jasper? Odds are they're creating havoc somewhere without us."

"Maybe Emmett found a golf cart."

He sighed. "That boy. Why he thought I'd let him tear around in a golf cart, screwing up everyone's game, is beyond me."

I sank my putt without a problem, making him shake his head. "Good at everything," he muttered, grimacing.

I had to throw him a bone. "Of course. I got your genes. So, no advice for marriage?"

"Shit, son, you've been married to that girl since your first date. You're just making it a formality at this point."

He was right about that. I wasn't remotely nervous about being married to Bella. I wanted it, more than I'd ever wanted anything before.

"She owns me."

He laughed. "She does. And you own her right back. I have no doubts about the two of you. But I will give you a piece of advice."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"She's always right. Even when she's wrong. Especially when she's pregnant. It doesn't matter if she contradicts herself two seconds later, she's still right. Roll with it. You'll be a happier man for it."

That was insane. And, since pregnancy hormones were just that, probably right.

Dad sank his putt, finally. We started heading for the next hole, but I stopped him.

"Thanks, Dad. You have always been there for me, and I probably didn't appreciate it at the time. But it does matter. Even when you were giving me shit and I wished I was adopted and Joe Montana was my real father."

He let out a loud guffaw. "Always with a flair for the dramatics. At least your would-be dad was one of my favorite players. I wonder who your kid will wish was their real father? Peyton? Tom?"

Fuck that noise. "I'm going to be an awesome father. He won't want another one, ever."

He grinned. "Yes you are. And we'll see. It's probably a player who isn't in the league yet."

"Dick. Just for that, I'm going to beat you by ten strokes."

"I would challenge that, but you probably will. I'm clearly going to have to work on my game before we play again."

He was a pretty fucking awesome dad, all in all. I should tell him that. "I'm glad you were at my games rather than becoming an awesome golfer."

He smiled. "Me, too, son. Me, too."


	25. Chapter 25

Getting Blitzed Chapter 25

I was pretty sure the reason that chicks took all day to get ready for a wedding was so that they wouldn't have to deal with the bullshit small talk with guests while waiting for the shit to start. We were all milling around the ballroom, waiting to head outside for the ceremony. For all my mother's freaking out about having enough time and space to invite people, there were sure a fuckton of people here I didn't give a shit about. I couldn't be mad at her, though. In the end, I'd gotten to invite everybody on my team who wanted to come. Most weren't here, due to having had other plans, but my main boys had all made it.

"I'm incredibly glad I didn't go to Miami to get myself a date," Sammy said, sending a wave to a blonde across the room, some chick Reed Girl knew from the music program.

I snickered. "Just stay away from the ones who have a ring on their finger. Some of my mom's friends don't have any issues with fucking a younger man." I should know. There were a couple women here that Emmett or I had hooked up with a few years ago. My mom clearly did not know that shit, or they wouldn't have been invited.

"Hey, I don't mind an older woman. They know what they're doing in bed, and they aren't afraid to give a little direction. That's hot."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't say I didn't warn you." And now to do my groom duty. "Thank you for being here and being in the wedding party. It means a lot to me."

He grinned. "There's no place I'd rather be, man. Gotta have my quarterback's back in all things, including marriage to the lovely girl who got away from me."

Fuck that noise. "I locked that down before you even met her, so you can hardly say she got away from you. You never had a chance."

He sighed and put his hand over his heart. "Rub it in, why don't you?" He grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. "Why am I standing here with you when that gorgeous blonde is giving me the eye?"

I laughed. "Good question. Have fun, but don't disappear anywhere until after the wedding."

"Wouldn't think of it!" He took off, making a beeline for the blonde.

Before I had a chance to make an escape of my own, to duck into the bathroom and text my girl, her mother descended upon me.

"Edward!" I was enveloped in a cloud of perfume and clinging limbs. "I can't believe the day is finally here! My baby is marrying her handsome man!"

I couldn't be positive, but it almost felt like her hand ghosted across my ass before she released me. With Renee, it was entirely possible, regardless of the fact that I was marrying her daughter today.

"I'm excited too, Renee." I stepped back and took her in for the first time. Holy fuck. There was no way in hell that that was the dress she'd picked out with Reed Girl and my mother. No fucking way. This thing had a plunging neckline and was some kind of animal print. It didn't scream wedding, by any means. It looked like something a stripper would wear.

"You look, uh, ready to party." That was the only thing I could say for the monstrosity in front of me. Reed Girl was going to shit a brick when she saw that. Had she seen it?

"Don't I?" Renee smoothed her hands down the dress. "This is twenty times better than the dress Bella wanted me to wear. I mean, I was going to, since I don't want to outshine my own daughter on her big day, but then I heard that some of your teammates were going to be here. I wasn't going to look dowdy in front of sexy football players."

Fucking hell. I needed to warn my teammates to stay the fuck away from Renee. While her dress was inappropriate as hell, I had to admit that she looked good for her age. She could pass for early thirties instead of early forties any day.

"Right, well, most of them have girlfriends, I'm afraid." That was untrue as hell, but hopefully it would divert her attention. She should hit on some of my dad's friends. They had money, too.

Renee just threw back her head and laughed. "As if that matters! Now, who are you going to introduce me to first?"

Fuck. "Have you been in to see Bella yet?" I needed to know if I had to warn her about her mother's dress or not.

"No. Well, I peeked in a little bit ago, before I got ready. Your mother and the girls seemed to have everything under control."

That was Renee in a nutshell. Most moms would be planted at their daughter's side while she got ready, but not Renee. She was on the hunt. It was a damn shame she was single again. Not that that would have stopped her regardless.

She tucked her arm through mine. "Introduce me to some of these fine-looking men. My daughter shouldn't be the only one with a hot football player."

Fucking hell. Before I could come up with an excuse, I was rescued by the one person who knew what I was going through better than anyone else.

"Edward! This place is incredible. And wait until you see Bells. She's never looked more beautiful."

"Charlie!" I disentangled myself from Renee's vise grip and actually threw my arms around my soon-to-be father-in-law. "Thank you," I whispered in his ear.

He chuckled. "You're welcome."

He hugged me back before releasing me and then turned to his ex. "Renee. You look…" he broke off, unsure what to say, no doubt. "Wild."

That was fitting. I nearly snorted.

"Charlie." She gave him a nod, but I noticed her blue eyes were slightly narrowed. She was annoyed at the interruption. "You look well."

He smirked. "Don't I?" He fussed with his bowtie. "Had a hell of a time getting this sucker fastened. Good thing I had my girl with me. Edward, this is Sue. Sue, this is my son-in-law, Edward."

I shook hands with the woman, failing to bite back my grin. Sue was pretty, with black hair and dark eyes. Her skin was too tan for Forks, so I suspected she was from the Indian reservation that Charlie frequented with Billy.

"It's nice to meet you," I told her.

Renee shook her hand, a big, fake smile plastered on her face. "It's hard to believe you were able to get him out of his beloved flannel."

Sue laughed. "I didn't have to do a thing. He's so excited for this wedding. It's all he's talked about for weeks now."

Charlie cleared his throat. "Well, my grandson needs his parents to be married."

"As if that's why you're excited." Sue smiled at me. "He's thrilled you're going to be part of the family."

Didn't I know it? "I'm happy about it, too. It feels like I've been waiting to marry my Bella for years."

Renee made a tisking sound. "You're both so young!"

Really? I glared at her.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled you're getting married, but take it from one who knows. Settling too early can be a bad thing."

And now I was glad she hadn't gone in to see my girl. Wedding advice like that she could do without.

"That's only when you choose the wrong person," Charlie interjected, eying his ex with obvious dislike. "Edward and Bella are perfect together. You might know that if you spent any time with them."

Renee huffed. "I spend time with them! And I'm not saying they aren't right together. But they're young and they have a lot of challenges ahead. At least they're young enough that if it doesn't work out, they'll have plenty of time left to move on."

Jesus fucking Christ, was she serious? Who said that to someone at their own wedding? Before I could retort, a chilled voice came from behind us.

"Speaking of moving on, Renee, don't you think it's time you got changed? Surely you brought the dress we picked out for the ceremony."

Holy fuck. Danger! We all turned to face my mother, who wore a tight smile. Her green eyes were shooting daggers right at Renee.

Renee seemed to be unaware that my mother was ready to kick her ass. "Oh, no! I couldn't wear that beige suit thingy. It was so unflattering! It made me look like the grandmother of the bride, not her beautiful, much-too-young mother."

"Renee, we discussed this." My mother kept her voice low and the smile plastered on her face. "This day isn't about you. It's about Bella, and you look like-"

I grabbed my mother and steered her away before she actually finished that sentence.

"What are you doing? Do you see what she's wearing?" my mom hissed as we walked across the room.

"Yes, I do. And it's ridiculous. But if she wants to look like a desperate cougar at her daughter's wedding, let her. This day is not about her, as you just said. I really don't want our mothers fighting on our wedding day."

My mom sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry. It's just that the caterers may not have brought enough crab puffs, and the flowers are the wrong shade of peach, and-"

"Mom. It looks awesome. You did an incredible job with only a few weeks' notice. And if we run out of crab puffs, who gives a shit? There's plenty of food coming, and if we need more, we'll have the restaurant make us something. Everybody is having a good time. The flowers look perfect."

"But-"

I needed to get her ass calm. "Honestly, Mom. This is perfect. It's a great place to have a wedding. Everybody is having a good time already, drinking champagne and eating canapés and crap. You pulled it off. Now sit back and enjoy what all your hard work brought."

My mom took a deep breath. "You're right. When did you get so smart?"

I grinned at her. "When I met Bella."

She laughed. "That's the truth. She's perfect for you. And I just want everything to be perfect for both of you. I know I've gone overboard, but this is the only wedding I get to help plan." She glared over in Renee's direction. "I guess I should be glad she's so self-absorbed. God knows what this wedding would have looked like if she had her gold-digging hands all over it."

"Everything is better than I imagined. So Renee looks like an aging stripper. We'll keep her out of the majority of the photographs."

My mom burst out laughing. "That's more or less what I was about to call her when you hauled me away. It is fitting, isn't it?"

I put my arm around her. "Yes, it is. And one of us needs to warn Reed Girl so she doesn't freak out when she sees her."

My mom leaned against me. "I already sent her a picture."

I snorted. "What did she say?"

"That she wasn't surprised and if we were lucky, she'd find a man to sneak away with during the reception."

Now it was my turn to laugh my ass off. "That's my girl. As long as she's not upset, I don't care what Renee is wearing."

"You're right. I'll let her make a fool of herself. I need to go check in with the wait staff."

"No, you don't." I grabbed a glass of champagne from the nearest waiter and handed it to her. "You need to enjoy this day. Stop stressing. I'm marrying my girl today, something you've wanted since the day you met her, I imagine."

Mom beamed at me. "Of course I did! I saw the way you looked at her, and I told her that she was going to be part of the family one day. I'd been waiting for the day that you finally looked at a woman like she was the only woman in the world. The way your father looks at me. I saw it right away when she walked into the kitchen."

I smiled at the memory. She'd been in my jersey. It had been fucking hot as hell.

"Well, she _is_ the only woman in the world to me. Other than you, of course." That got me a smacking kiss on my cheek. "Mom, seriously, thank you for all you've done. Planning a wedding would have been way too much on Bella's shoulders, with everything that's going on. You took all of that on and carried the stress that she would have if she were trying to get it all done. It means a lot to both of us."

She looked like she was going to cry. May as well set her off. "We want to thank you by giving you and Dad that Mediterranean cruise you've always wanted to go on."

She let out a gasp.

"We've booked it for January. Dad's going to clear his schedule."

"Oh, Edward! You don't have to thank me. You know that I'm thrilled to be part of this. I should thank you two for dealing with my insanity for the last month. And I don't need a present. I don't want to leave with the baby coming and everything."

I laughed. "The baby won't be here until May, Mom. You have time to go on a cruise with Dad. We want you to. You deserve some down time after all you've done."

She wrapped her arms around me. "When did my baby grow up and become such a caring man? There was a time you wouldn't have noticed or cared about all the time it took to plan an event for you."

That was true. I hadn't appreciated enough how she'd always been there, throwing awesome birthday parties and championship celebrations. I hugged her back.

"I guess Bella changed me, Mom. For the better."

She giggled and released me. "Definitely for the better. I'm so thrilled you found a girl I love and admire. This family is finally complete."

I laughed. "Well, it will be as soon as the sun sets. Can't you get on that?"

Mom grinned. "I've been monitoring the weather sites. We'll be good to go in about twenty minutes."

Fucking finally.

"Why don't you go round up your groomsmen? I'm going to start herding people outside."

"Sounds like a plan." I started heading toward Emmett.

"Oh and Edward?"

I glanced back at my mom.

"That nonsense Renee was spouting when I walked up? It doesn't apply to you and Bella. When a Cullen falls in love, it's forever."

Didn't I know it? "That shit didn't bother me. I know that Bella's it for me."

She raised an eyebrow. "Language!"

I laughed. Of course she'd get me on me about my mouth. She was still my mom after all.

"Don't you have people to yell at?"

She smiled. "I do, but I'll always make time to yell at you first. It's my motherly duty."

I shook my head and wandered over to my brother.

"It's time. Where's Jasper?"

"He went outside a bit ago. Maybe he's already down there. Where's Sammy?"

I glanced around and saw him pinned over by one of the walls, talking to Renee. "Fuck, Renee has him."

Emmett let out his booming laugh. "Trust her to go after the football players."

"It's not funny, damn it. Sammy's too good for her."

"Chill bro. I got this. I'll send her Colin's way."

I had to laugh. Colin did want a woman. "Just tell Sammy he needs to get in place. We're heading out."

"I'm on it!" My brother headed in that direction just as Jasper came in from outside.

"Where have you been? Do you have the rings?" I demanded when he got up close to me. Wait a minute. What was that smell?

"Oh, fuck no! Tell me you did not go get high on my wedding day?" I was going to kill him.

"Of course I didn't! I just had to take care of something. Look, my eyes are clear, right?"

I peered into his face. He didn't look high. He seemed normal, which was different for Jasper than most people, but he didn't appear stoned.

"Were you getting someone else high? What the fuck, Jasper?"

Before he could reply, the door opened and in came my grandmother. I braced myself for whatever snide words she might say, but she just sent me a smile. "Isn't it a beautiful day for a wedding? So pretty. The sky and all the colors."

She walked past, and I got a good whiff of weed mixed with old-lady perfume. Holy fuck. Was she…? No fucking way. "Jasper?"

"Yes?" He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down at his feet.

"Did you give my grandmother weed?"

"Maybe. It depends on how mad you'll be if I say yes."

Was I mad? I didn't know. I was confused as fuck. "My grandmother smoked with you?"

"Not with me. I told you, I didn't have any." He met my eyes. "Look, a couple years ago, after we won the first championship, we got to talking outside and I got her to light up with me. It calmed her down and made her stop hating on you and Bella so hard. So, I've hooked her up now and then. I wasn't sure if I'd need to give her any today, but she started in on how you'd been trapped and all that stuff, so I took her outside and got her high. She won't be a problem now."

God help me, Jasper was a fucking genius. "I can't believe you got my grandmother high. I can't believe Grandmonster took the stick out of her ass long enough to try it."

He shrugged. "She's actually pretty cool when she smokes. She makes me cookies to pay me for the weed."

Grandmonster made cookies? Not in my lifetime. Holy fuck. "You're like an old-lady whisperer."

Jasper laughed. "Never doubt the magic of my weed."

I shook my head. "As long as you stay off it until the season is over, I won't say a word against it ever again." It turned the grandmonster into a human being. Who knew that was possible?

"It's all cool, Edward. I'm happy to help. That's what best friends, and best men, are for."

He really was my best friend, other than Bella. I wasn't sure how that had happened, but right now especially I was glad.

"Thanks." I gave him a half hug, which he, of course, turned into a full blown one. "Okay, we need to get outside now. It's nearly time. You have the rings, right?"

He released me and patted his pocket. "Right here. We're all set."

Good. It was time to marry my Reed Girl. I'd endure slutty mother-in-laws, uptight mothers, and high grandmothers anytime, as long as at the end of the day, I got to make Isabella Swan my wife. She was worth it.

Xoxoxoxoxox

I planted myself below the arch of flowers that sat on a platform on the beach. It was beautiful out. The sun was starting to go down, and the temperature was around seventy or so. We couldn't have asked for a better day. I had no doubt that my mom had been monitoring the weather like I'd be monitoring Reed Girl's diet if I was with her all the time. She'd probably done some voodoo rituals to ensure that it wouldn't rain. I wouldn't put it past her.

Jasper lined up next to me, while Emmett and Sammy hurried toward us.

"Thanks for sending your brother to rescue me, man. That woman doesn't take no for an answer. She is pretty hot, though."

I rolled my eyes. "Trust me, it's not worth the amount of crazy that would be unleashed on you if you went there."

"Bella would be pissed, huh?"

Ha! As if Reed Girl was the problem. "No, I'm talking about Renee. She's looking for her next husband."

"Oh. Shit. No way." Sammy shook his head emphatically. "I mean, I'm happy for you, but no way am I ready to walk down the aisle. This is as close to that as I need to be."

I had to laugh. "You sound like I did a couple of years ago. When you find her, you won't be able to wait. Trust me."

Sammy just scoffed. The fool. He'd find out one day, and I'd be there to laugh at his ass.

Everybody started filing down and taking their seats. Thank fuck. It was time. The sky was starting to get dark, and the yellow, red, and orange started to streak with the greens, blues, and purples. This was what we'd been waiting for.

The grandparents and parents made their way to their seats, with the exception of Charlie, of course. GrandMonster had a happy smile on her face. I was pretty sure I'd never seen that expression on her face live and in person. Maybe in some pictures and shit. Jasper really was the man.

"Thanks for that," I muttered, nodding toward her.

Jasper grinned. "No problem. She's actually a lot of fun when she's high. You should talk to her later."

Maybe. I had much better things to do, though.

The girls started down the sandy aisle, which was littered with peach and white flower petals. Bella was hidden in the doorway. I saw Charlie, but I couldn't quite make her out yet. Four Eyes-Angela-came first. She moved pretty quickly, thankfully. Hurry the fuck up, Blondie. We're not here for you. Of course, my brother was beaming at her. Jasper let out a girly sigh when Shorty appeared.

"Isn't Wife beautiful?" he murmured.

I nodded my agreement so he wouldn't get worked up about it.

At last, the music changed and my Reed Girl stepped into view. Holy fucking shit. Charlie hadn't been wrong when he said she'd never been more beautiful, but he had underplayed it. Extremely underplayed it. I'd always thought that "she took my breath away" stuff was bullshit, but I definitely stopped breathing for a few seconds. I was incapable of gasping the way the guests were at the sight of her. Clearly they'd never seen anything more stunning either.

I didn't know shit about dresses, cuts, and things like that, but I knew what looked good, and my Bella was definitely that. The dress fit her perfectly, skimming down her body. It wasn't one of those big poofy dresses that some girls wore. This showed off the killer body that my girl was rocking, without making her look trashy like her mother. It had little straps and went down into a v, keeping her spectacular tits mostly covered. There were some little flowers trailing down from them. The dress looked soft as hell. I couldn't wait to get my hands on her.

She looked like she felt the same way I did, because her eyes met mine and she smiled. Her hair had some flowers in it, but it was mostly down, curling past her shoulders. I was grateful for that, too, because we wouldn't have to waste time fussing with that shit when I got her back to the room.

"Wow, she looks awesome," my brother whispered to me. Of course, his version of whispering was a normal person's regular voice, so everyone heard. There were some laughs, and Reed Girl just grinned at him and mouthed thanks.

After what felt like hours, she finally was next to me. Charlie handed her over, and I took her hand in mine. I think we were supposed to link arms or some shit, but I didn't care. I wanted to hold her hand, so I did.

The priest did his spiel. I probably should have been listening to him, but all I could do was stare at my girl. We weren't giving anybody a chance to object, not that they would if they wanted to live. He talked about love for a few minutes before he finally got to the good stuff.

"It is now time for the vows. Edward."

Right. My turn. Reed Girl's lips twitched, and her brown eyes sparkled at me when I was stuck for a second. I shrugged. "You're so beautiful that I forgot what I was supposed to say."

"I, Edward," the priest prompted.

I had this. "I, Edward, take you, Bella, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part." That shit was a little morbid, throwing in the death thing, in my opinion, but it was tradition and nobody would listen when I'd argued against it. I'd also argued against using poorer, because we were never going to be poor, but they told me that was crass. Whatever. I knew what was real.

Reed Girl laughed so softly only I could hear. She totally knew what I was thinking.

"I, Bella, take you, Edward for my lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part."

I couldn't contain my grin. She was mine now. I mean, the priest hadn't declared it or anything, but vows were vows. Promises. And we'd made them.

The sun was sinking lower, and we were supposed to be declared husband and wife as it disappeared. Nearly there.

"May I have the rings?"

Jasper handed that over without a problem, thank God. I couldn't wait to get mine back on my finger. I'd had to give it to the jeweler last week at Reed Girl's request. We were getting them engraved, and I wasn't allowed to see what she'd chosen for me until right now.

"I'm told that Edward and Bella had their rings engraved, so I'm going to ask them to read the engravings aloud before they slide them onto one another's fingers."

I grinned at Reed Girl as I took the offered ring. "Your ring says, 'You're the best prize I ever won. Love, Your Champ.'"

This time, she did laugh out loud, along with our friends and several of the guests. There was a tear in her eye, though, despite the amusement. "You're lucky I understand that, Cullen."

I slipped the ring on her left finger. She was wearing her rock on her right hand. We'd put that back where it belonged after the ceremony.

Bella took my ring and held my hand. "Yours says, 'You brought real music into my life. Love, Your Reed Girl.'"

Fuck if that didn't make me want to cry myself. She slid the ring onto my finger, and we turned to face the priest.

"What God has joined, let no man put asunder. I now pronounce you husband and wife. Edward, you may kiss your bride."

It was about fucking time. "You're mine officially now, Reed Girl."

"And you're mine."

Damn right I was. Forever.

A tear tracked down her face. I reached out to wipe it away.

"Hurry up and kiss me, Cullen."

She was so fucking demanding. I loved it.

"Shut up and let me, Cullen."

That made her laugh. And while she was laughing, I pulled her into my arms and planted one on her. I could vaguely hear cheering, but I ignored that shit and just focused on the feel of my wife's lips on mine.

My wife.

At fucking last.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N Happy Daylight Savings Day? Hehe I got nothing. And I actually hate time changes. Pretty sure I've bitched to you guys about them before. I am a creature of habit, so the change always throws me off for longer than it should. But it'll be darker in the morning which is never a bad thing sleep-wise. So there's that.**

**I missed you guys last week! But we're back on track. The NFL free agency period is about to start. I must say I'm pleasantly surprised by how much coverage there's been this year. I take what I can get!**

**I'll stop yapping and let you get on with the reception. I know several of you want some high GrandMonster time. I promise that I put some in for you, just not in this chapter. Next :) So enjoy and I'll see you next week!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 26

It seemed like we preened and posed forever for pictures. In the ballroom, on the beach, with the water sloshing up over our toes, playing in the sand, around the fire pit; on and on and on it went. Luckily, most of those pictures had me touching or kissing my Reed Girl, so I didn't utter a word of complaint. And when the girls were posing, I totally stuffed my face with more of the appetizers the caterer had put out for the guests.

"God, that was exhausting." Reed Girl fell into my lap in the cushy wicker chair near the fire.

Shit, I hadn't thought about how tiring this all might be for her. "Do you need to lie down, baby? We can go back to the room if this is too much for you."

She laughed and gave me a hard kiss. "I'm perfectly fine, Edward. I was talking about all that posing and smiling. My face muscles hurt."

"Sucks for you, bro! Or doesn't suck, more like." My brother laughed like a hyena at his own humor. Blondie smacked him upside the head for me. "Ouch! What was that for?"

"You don't need to be all crass on their wedding day, Emmett. It's not appropriate."

He smirked at her. "Really? Because I remember including oral in our vows." That got him another hit. "What? That was important to both of us!"

"We were drunk, you asshole. And if you ever tell anyone outside of this immediate circle about those vows, then I'll break them. For good. Got it?"

Damn, that shit was cold. My brother looked like he was going to pitch himself into the fire at the very idea. Then again, I couldn't blame him. I'd probably want to do the same thing if Reed Girl said that to me.

"I got it. Sorry, Bella."

My girl-no-my _wife,_ just laughed. "No offense taken, Emmett. We're family, now. You can say anything to me."

Blondie snorted. "Don't issue that invitation, Bella. You'll regret it."

Reed Girl rested her head against my neck and nuzzled me. "I couldn't possibly regret anything today. It was absolutely perfect."

I turned my head and kissed her softly. "It sure was. You look fucking gorgeous, baby. I nearly swallowed my tongue when I saw you."

She still had that beaming smile on her face, tired facial muscles be damned. "I could say the same about you. We're lucky that no pool waitresses were nearby."

"The only girl I'm going to make wet tonight is you," I whispered in her ear before nipping the lobe lightly.

"Holy shit," she murmured, squirming in my arms. "You can't say something like that to me now, when we have to go in and have dinner with a couple hundred people."

I held up her left hand and kissed her ring finger. "I most certainly can. You're officially my wife now. Just because we didn't include it in the vows like they did doesn't mean that it wasn't implied."

Everyone busted up laughing.

"See! It should be in the vows! Edward agrees with me."

Blondie rolled her eyes. "Of course he does. You're both perverts." She turned to Reed Girl. "Watch out for some of these motherly looking types. I heard a couple of them reminiscing about our men. Whores. We should get them arrested for statutory rape or corrupting a minor or something."

"But, Rosie, you've enjoyed the benefits of that corruption. Where do you think I learned-ow!" Emmett rubbed at the back of his head. "Never mind."

"Dumbass."

It was time to change the subject. "Why don't you guys go in and get a load of the GrandMonster? Jasper got her high before the ceremony."

Everybody gaped at me. Well, everybody but Jasper, who just grinned triumphantly.

"What?"

"Are you serious?"

"Grandma's high?"

"Jaspy, you better not have smoked! You promised!" Shorty looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"He didn't," I assured her. "Apparently he got her to try it after we won our first championship. It makes her a much more pleasant person, according to Jasper."

"It does! She tells stories about her wild youth, and she stops being all uptight about you guys. It was my duty, as best man, to make sure that she didn't cause any trouble today. She hasn't and she won't."

Emmett stood and pulled Blondie to her feet. "This I have to see! Let's go fuck with her! Come on, Rosie."

"We should all get in there. Esme will come looking for you soon," Shorty pointed out.

I tightened my arms around Reed Girl when she started to move. "Go. Tell her we'll be in shortly." We were the ones who got married. They could wait for our asses.

Everybody left, and finally, we were blessedly alone. Reed Girl put her hands on my shoulders and smiled at me.

"You're still smiling, baby. That's not going to help those facial muscles."

She giggled. "Don't worry. It won't stop me from performing later."

I laughed and gave her a kiss.

"Besides, I can't stop smiling. This entire day has been better than I could have hoped for."

That's what I wanted to hear. "I'm glad you're happy, baby. You look amazing. Did you have a good time at the spa?"

She nodded. "I've been waxed and buffed, massaged, plucked, primped, and polished. It was all fun-well, mostly."

Yeah, I couldn't imagine waxing being fun, but I wasn't a girl, thank fuck. The shit they did to themselves was insane. But she looked stunning, so I couldn't fault the methods.

"Good. I'm sorry about your mom." She was the one bad spot in an otherwise perfect day.

"I'm not. She is what she is, Edward. I accepted that a long time ago. She can't hurt us by wearing a trashy dress and hitting on your friends. If anything, it'll add to the stories we have to tell one day."

I had to laugh. "Baby, I love your outlook. I just didn't want her to do anything to upset you."

"Nothing could upset me today. I'm Mrs. Edward Cullen, finally. That's all I truly wanted. The rest is just icing on the cake."

I kissed her again. "Speaking of cake, we'd better go in. You need to eat."

Reed Girl chuckled. "We had lunch at the spa, not to mention the delivery of carrot and celery sticks to the room a few hours ago."

I helped her off my lap and stood. "Gee, I wonder who sent that."

She grinned and threw her arms around me. "Thank you for thinking of me and taking care of me, even when we're not together."

"That's my job now. Officially." I couldn't stop smiling either. I was practically fucking giddy.

"Well, you do that job exceptionally well. Remind me to give you a raise later."

Fuck, just the thought of that had a certain part of me raising, so to speak. "I'm looking forward to that more than I can say."

"Me, too. Now, come on, Mr. Cullen. I need to show off my hot husband."

"Who am I to argue with that, Mrs. Cullen?" I fucking loved saying that. I kissed her ring finger when I remembered. "Wait. We need to put your diamond back." I slipped it off her right finger and put it back on the left. "Now it's just right."

She smiled and reached out to touch my ring finger. "As right as it gets. I love you."

"I love you, too." I kissed her again. "Let's go party."

"Let's."

Xoxoxoxoxox

We entered to the Seminole chant, because why the fuck not? The entire wedding party was Noles except for Sammy, but he sucked it up because he had no choice and he was cool like that. Everyone cheered and shouted, but I immediately swung Reed Girl into my arms for the first dance.

Reed Girl and I had decided that the song "Lucky" by that tool Jason Mraz and some other chick was very fitting for us. She was my best friend, after all. So I held her in my arms and looked into her eyes as the music played.

She beamed up at me, smiling with her entire face. "I'm so lucky."

I twirled her, making the crowd cheer. "I'd say we both got damn lucky. I'm thankful every day that you stalked me two years ago."

She giggled madly as I pulled her close. "You're extremely lucky that your ego didn't drive me away in the beginning."

I nibbled on her neck, making her laugh harder. "You know you loved it, baby. My confidence drew you to me. Or was that my cock?"

I pulled back to see her eyes were comically wide and her cheeks were pink. I fucking loved getting her worked up, even at our own wedding. What better place, really?

"Edward! You can't say things like that. Our parents are right there."

"So? They can't hear! Plus, we're married now. And you're pregnant. They have to know that we f-have fun." I decided maybe I shouldn't call it fucking at our wedding. Even if I had just said cock.

"Be that as it may, what drew me to you definitely wasn't your tact."

She pouted at me. I couldn't resist her lower lip sticking out, so I bent down and sucked it into my mouth. She sighed at the contact and melted into me.

"Fuck tact," I murmured when I pulled back.

Reed Girl looked completely dazed for a few moments before a bright smile stole over her face.

"Fuck tact. Fuck me instead."

That was my wife right there. "As soon as I can get you out of here, baby."

She chuckled and rested her head on my shoulder. "This isn't quite the romantic moment that one imagines for a first dance, but it fits us."

No, that was true. I kind of sucked at the romance thing. I was trying to be better, though. She started to pull away from me, but I pulled her back.

"We have another song. I'll try to do better this time."

"We do?" She looked blank.

I hadn't run this one by her, but I thought she'd enjoy that I'd picked a song out for us on my own. I hoped so, anyway.

"Trust me, baby."

The song started, and she let out a little gasp.

"Edward! It's Ed Sheeran! I love this song."

Of course she did. It was a song designed to make a woman melt. And she sure as hell did. Her eyes teared up, but her smile was blinding as we moved to the music.

"I chose this song for a lot of reasons, but this part seemed especially fitting," I told her.

 _When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades_  
And the crowds don't remember my name  
When my hands don't play the strings the same way, mm  
I know you will still love me the same

"God, it does fit, doesn't it?"

"The strings for you, the crowds for me. But I'll never lose my hair."

Reed Girl threw her head back and let out a loud belly laugh. "Here's hoping! I didn't promise to stay through hair loss."

"Oh, yes you did. It was implied. Not that it's an issue." Dad still had all his hair. I was all good. Fuck that noise. Balding wasn't happening.

She smiled up at me. "Just how much was implied in our vows? Oral, hair loss…anything else I'm missing?"

"Plenty. But I'll enlighten you as we go." I had to keep my ass covered. She wasn't ever getting away.

"Fair enough. And just so you know, I'm going to love you long past when we're seventy. You're stuck with me forever."

Hell yes I was. "Forever sounds good to me."

I kissed her as the song came to an end. When we parted, I glanced over and saw my mom wiping away tears while Dad handed her a tissue. Charlie grinned at us. Hell, even Renee seemed happy for the moment. She'd probably go back on the hunt after dinner.

We took our seats and finally started eating. The meal my mother had stressed over a billion times came out pretty fucking awesome. Filet mignon, some fancy mushrooms, mashed potatoes, and even the vegetables rocked. Others had some kind of chicken dish or fish. Everybody seemed happy, which was all that mattered.

After dinner, it was time for the speeches. Nobody seemed to care that we'd skipped the toast thing. I wasn't drinking since Reed Girl couldn't. I braced myself when Jasper took the mike.

"In honor of Edward and Bella's wedding, I've composed a poem, called Bella and Her Fine Fella."

I let out a groan and buried my head. Reed Girl giggled next to me.

"Just kidding."

I looked up and saw him grinning at me.

"Poems are mine and Ali's thing. Edward and Bella aren't a poem couple. They're a full-on love story."

Thank fuck he wasn't doing a poem. I laced my fingers through Reed Girl's and brushed her knuckles with a kiss.

"I was lucky enough to be there from the very beginning of their relationship. In fact, they might not be together if it weren't for me." He flashed a grin at us. "Edward used me as a bargaining chip to get to a party that Bella was going to, and that night he asked her on their first date. They haven't looked back since."

Okay, so maybe he was part of the reason that we'd gotten together, but he wasn't all of it.

"Then again, I wouldn't have my Ali if Edward hadn't met Bella, if she hadn't gotten under his skin. And Rose and Emmett probably wouldn't have reunited with one another either. They came together and brought us all with them. We became a family instead of just friends. And they were the center of that. The heart."

Damn if Jasper wasn't kicking ass right now. He had everyone spellbound. Shorty looked like she was ready to throw him down and attack his ass at first opportunity.

"I knew Edward before he met Bella, and anybody that did can tell you that she changed him in too many ways to count. He's still the same guy, but he's better. And to me, that's the best measure of love that there is. Bella makes him a better friend, a better football player, and a better man. She didn't completely smooth away the rough edges; she just softened them some."

He smiled at Reed Girl.

"And from what I've been told, he does the same for her. These past few months where they've been apart have been hard on both of them. You can see it when they reunite, though. They fit together like puzzle pieces. Bella never looks happier than when she's looking at Edward. And when he's looking at her…well, that's about the only time that he ever smiles."

Everyone laughed at that comment. It was probably true, but I sent him a smile just to prove him wrong.

"See? Even just hearing someone talk about her makes him smile. We all know that's not for me, Edward."

More laughter.

"But that's okay. You found the girl that makes you happy. That's what it's all about. I know I'm supposed to wish you a great future, and I do, but I don't think I even need to say it. You fit. You belong together. I'm forever grateful that you found one another and that you included us in your lives. Thank you both."

Everybody clapped for him, and I stood when he returned to the table.

"Thank you."

I gave him a hug, and Bella followed with a kiss to his cheek.

"You're just thanking me for not doing a poem."

I laughed at that. "Maybe that's part of it. But you were right. You've been there from the beginning, and you even helped us get together, some." Of course, if he hadn't been high as a kite most of that time, he might have been even more helpful, but it didn't matter in the end. He'd been a part of us, and he'd remain that way. He was my best man, after all.

"You go. I can't." Shorty was sniffling and dabbing at her eyes. Blondie rolled hers but headed to the mike.

"I'm not much of a speaker, but I'll try. Jasper was right. I wouldn't be with Emmett today if Edward and Bella hadn't found one another." Her eyes met mine. "I gave Edward a hell of a time when he first started coming around. His reputation and his brother's sins were enough to convince me that he didn't belong with one of my best friends. I told her time and time again to run the hell away and not to look back." Blondie smirked at Bella. "Clearly she didn't listen to me."

Reed Girl shrugged and made everyone laugh.

"And I'm glad she didn't. I've never seen her happier than when Edward came into her life. She's better, just like Jasper said. She takes more joy in her music, with her friends, and in life in general. And she's fierce now." She smiled. "She stood up to me, after all. And I can tell you that's not easy."

"I second that!" Emmett shouted. Moron.

"And he didn't back down, either. These two fight for what they want. And what they want is each other. It doesn't get much better than that. So that's my advice for them. Keep fighting to be together, and take down anyone that tries to get in their way. They're both winners, so nobody stands a chance if they try. Congratulations, Bella and Edward!"

Short but sweet. You had to appreciate Blondie. We both hugged her, and of course my Reed Girl was crying now. Hormones and weddings didn't mix, but I knew they were happy tears.

Charlie cleared his throat. "I guess maybe I should say a little something." He looked so damn uncomfortable. It was hilarious.

"I knew when Edward showed up at my door two years ago to surprise Bella at Christmas that these two would be married one day."

I snickered. He had definitely known-or at least, wanted it. I remembered worrying he was going to force a shotgun wedding on me.

"Edward didn't really know it, though. In fact, I made a joke about them getting married, and the boy ran out the door like his ass was on fire."

Everyone busted up at that. Reed Girl gave me a smacking kiss on the cheek.

"My girl just about took my head off for that, let me tell you. But she went after him, and he came back the next day. That said a lot about them, I thought. Plus, they were already like a little family, with their crazy kitten, Rainbow. They had each other's backs. I saw that in play when Bella's ex was sniffing around her. All three of them combined to take him down." Charlie grinned. "They were already a team, right at the start."

"They're even stronger together now. It's not easy for a man to give up his only daughter, but I couldn't be happier with the man she's chosen. He takes care of her. And he's loyal as can be. Comes from being a teammate, I guess. But that's what a dad wants for his daughter. A man he can respect and trust with her heart. Because she's truly the greatest gift I could ever give. And her mother and I give her to you, Edward. So just…keep taking care of her." His moustache twitched. "I have a gun, if you don't."

Reed Girl ran into his arms, crying away. He hugged her, and I was pretty sure he was crying as well. I wasn't sure what to do with that, but I clapped him on the shoulder.

"I'll take care of her, Charlie. That's the most important job for me."

"I know, son. Maybe you could call me Dad now?" He scrubbed at his eyes.

Reed Girl looked like she was going to start sobbing again. I pulled her into my arms.

"Sure, Dad. I'd be honored."

His smile rivaled his daughter's. "Thank you."

My parents stood together. "We just want to welcome Bella to the family. We've been blessed with two wonderful sons, and they've brought us two beautiful, incredible daughters. We couldn't be happier. Thank you all for coming to help us celebrate today."

More hugs and congratulations. I knew we had to speak, but that would wait until it was time to leave. I was getting anxious for that, but I did want to spend some time with our friends and family. My mother took Bella to the side, and the two of them started talking, so I wandered over to my teammates.

"Thank you guys for being here. It means a lot to us."

"Are you kidding? This has been awesome. Have you seen the women?" Brady took a slug of his drink.

I laughed. "I can't say that I have. Just stay away from Bella's mother."

"Which one is that?"

I pointed out Renee, who was chatting up one of my dad's doctor buddies. At least he was in her age range. It was only a matter of time until she came over here, though.

"Dude, she's hot for an older chick. I'd hit that." Brady probably would.

"She'd hit you right back. But if you do hit it, don't come whining and crying to me when you can't get rid of her. She'll be your problem then." I'd issued the warning. It was their problem if they didn't listen to me.

"Don't worry, man. She's got crazy eyes. I won't go near that," Paul assured me. "Thanks for inviting us. It was a fun wedding. And I see a lovely lady that needs an escort." He was off like a shot.

They'd been dancing and enjoying the female attention for sure. Sammy was flirting with his blonde again.

"Do you think she'd go for a lineman?" Colin asked, eying Renee with interest.

Fucking hell. "She'd eat you alive."

"Plenty of me to eat," he said, laughing. "Introduce me. We'll call it even on the car."

He'd finally discovered the litter in his trunk a few weeks ago. Needless to say, I'd been braced for retaliation.

"Really? You won't fuck with me if I do?"

"Dude, it's been a long season already. I could use some relaxation."

Fuck it. What did I care? "Okay, let's go."

I hauled Colin over to Renee, who was quick to desert the doctor.

"Edward! Such a beautiful wedding! I'm so happy for you and Bella." She planted a smacking kiss on my cheek.

"Thanks, Renee. We appreciate you being here." Sort of. "Have you met my teammate, Colin? He's one of the guys who protect me."

Renee held out a hand, licking her lips. "I'm all about protection. It's very nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, too."

He shot me a pleading look. What the fuck was I supposed to do? I couldn't talk to her for him. Idiot.

"Colin is one of the strongest guys on the team. And a former first-round draft pick."

Her eyes lit up at that. There. She knew first round equaled money.

"I like big, strong men. You must have excellent hands." Renee was practically purring as she touched his chest.

I bit back a laugh at the look on his face. "He does. I'm sure he'd be happy to show you, wouldn't you, Colin?"

He nodded emphatically. "I would."

Renee tucked her arm through his. "Why don't we go somewhere a little less crowded? Maybe you could show me."

That was all I needed to hear. "See you guys later."

I hightailed it over to where Sammy sat, his arm along the back of the blonde's chair.

"Did you just hook Colin up with your mother-in-law?"

"Don't ask. I feel dirty."

"You should! I hope your new bride doesn't kill you for that."

"Bella won't care. She'll be glad her mom is staying out of trouble, more or less."

"Sure, unless she gets the sad bastard to marry her. Then he'll be your father-in-law, and Bella _will_ kill you."

Fuck. I hadn't thought of that. "Maybe I should-"

"I'm kidding, man. Colin's hard up, but he's not an idiot. He'll take what he can get and get home tomorrow. Speaking of that, I was wondering if I could catch a ride back with you on Monday?"

"Sure. I'll be leaving from Tallahassee, though."

Sammy grinned. "And that's where I'll be. Kylie here wants to show me around town."

And show him off, based on the way she was preening next to him.

"That's cool. I'll text you to tell you what time."

"Sounds good. Thanks. And congratulations. Great wedding. Gorgeous bride. You've got it all, man."

"He does." Reed Girl slipped underneath my arm. I pulled her close. "But then again, so do I. Thanks for being here. It means a lot to both of us."

"Thanks for having me. And for having such lovely friends."

Kylie smiled. "It was a beautiful wedding, Bella."

"Thank you. I had very little to do with it. Edward's mother's been a godsend."

I kissed the top of her head. "I already told her about the trip."

She laughed. "I heard. She's very excited. I'm pretty sure she's already shifting plans around in her mind."

That would be just like her. "That's Mom for you."

Reed Girl raised an eyebrow at me. "Speaking of moms…did I just see my mother leaving with Colin?"

Sammy let out a low whistle. "Good luck, my man. Sweetheart, let's dance."

Deserter. I shot him the finger, but he just grinned as he trotted off. My wife turned to face me.

"Well?"

"Look, he wanted to meet her. I warned him. He still wanted to meet her. He said we'd be even on the kitty litter. What was I to do?"

Her face was unreadable. Fuck. Was I in trouble already? We had only been married a couple hours.

She shook her head. "As long as you warned him."

"I did. I don't want him to become my father-in-law."

She burst out laughing. "Now, there's an awful thought! I don't think we have to worry, though. Colin's not her type, beyond the money. She'd want arm candy, like I got."

I chuckled and pulled her to me. "Arm candy, am I? I knew you married me for my looks."

"Well, of course I did! Surely it wasn't for the kindness that you rarely show anybody but me, or your intelligence, or your sense of humor."

She was so fucking awesome. "I don't need those. I have you for that now. And your looks."

She giggled. "I sound like the total package."

I kissed her. "You are. And I can't wait to unwrap you."

She hummed and wrapped her arms around my waist. "I can't wait, either. Let's do the cake and garter stuff and get the hell out of here."

Again, she reminded me why I'd married her. She was perfect for me.

"I could use some sweet before I get to the salty."

She giggled and smacked my ass. "Pervert."

"Yeah, but I'm your pervert," I reminded her.

She took my hand and headed toward the cake. "Yes, you are. Don't you forget it, Mr. Cullen."

"I could never, Mrs. Cullen."

I fucking loved saying that. And the way her face lit up every time I did.

We got through the cake without incident. I'd never understood the tradition of smashing perfectly good cake into your new spouse's face, so we skipped that shit and went right for the eating. Bella had the vanilla with raspberry while I went for the chocolate Boston cream. It was fucking awesome.

I was totally excited to dive under her dress to retrieve the garter, but the problem with her not wearing super poofy dress meant there wasn't that much room, so I couldn't go as far up her body as I wanted. But I did get in a few nibbles of her leg as I was removing the garter with my teeth.

I aimed the garter right at Sammy, who couldn't jump out of the way fast enough. Jasper dove for the thing, making Shorty squeal with glee, like their wedding wasn't already set in stone. Bella's other bridesmaid, Angela, caught the bouquet. Her boyfriend looked a little green about it. Fucking hilarious.

We danced and talked and mingled until my eyes were ready to cross, but Bella finally gave me the high sign.

"Are you sure it's cool that I do this?" I asked as we stood with the mike.

"Yes," she assured me. "I think it's great."

Okay, then.

"Bella and I want to thank you for coming to our wedding. It's been an amazing evening, and we're honored that you were all a part of it." I slid my arm around her. "I've been blessed to have a lot of incredible moments of celebration in my life. Hopefully I'll have a lot more."

That got a cheer from my teammates.

"But I can honestly say that I'll never have a better day than this. I think maybe when we have our child, it might be right up there." I flattened my hand on Bella's stomach. "We'll find out in about six months."

There were gasps and murmurs from the crowd, which quickly turned into applause and hooting.

Reed Girl grinned at me.

"We're thrilled to become a family officially today, and the fact that we're already going to expand that family has us incredibly excited for the future and everything that it holds. My best man was right when he said that I've become a better person since Bella came into my life. And I know that with her at my side, the sky's the limit.

"We thank you for being here for the beginning of our journey and look forward to you being part of our future. Thank you all so much for being here."

Reed Girl stepped up. "I just want to echo what my husband said."

Husband. How fucking awesome was that?

"We're so grateful to you all for being here and supporting us. We especially have to thank my new mother-in-law, Esme Cullen, for putting this beautiful wedding together for us. She had short notice, but she made it more beautiful than I could ever hope for. Thanks, Mom."

Of course my mother was crying. No surprise.

"And thanks to our families, friends, and everybody for being here for us. We love you all."

"We do," I echoed.

After a few more tears and hugs, it was finally time to get my wife alone. I hoped the hotel manager had come through with my requests. I wanted to make it a night to remember for my Bella. For both of us. We needed to have a night to match the wedding, after all.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N Happy March Madness Selection Day! Do you play? I admit, basketball is not my thing, but I do enjoy filling out the brackets. I usually do pretty well, too. What do you think? Can anybody take down Kentucky? (Did they win the SEC Championship? I'm assuming so, but I mean it when I say I don't follow, hehe)**

**What a week for the NFL! Free agency kicked off and it's been absolutely insane. The trades! The big names switching teams! I'm still not over it. And I know a bunch of you aren't as well (Saints fans are sobbing right about now, I imagine). So many teams are going to be virtually unrecognizable next season. Saints, Philly, Indy, Miami, Jets, 49ers, Bills...it's been fun. And there are still some decent names out there. Plus, more trades could be brewing for all I know. I've never seen so many NFL trades before. Has me more than ready for the season. Or at least, the draft. That's what, 6 weeks away? Bring it!**

**Okay, without further ado, I give you Grandmonster & the wedding night. A certain kitty that is being missed shall be back next week! Kitty related note: have you ever tried to make a bed with cats lurking? They are excellent helpers. If by excellent I mean they get right in the middle of the bed and like to have the bed made over them. I legit had to undo a corner so Dixon could get out from under my fitted sheet a few minutes ago. I imagine that Rainbow would help in this way, if Edward actually made the bed himself. hehe Just had to share!**

**Have fun and I'll see you next week :)**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 27

Of course, we got waylaid way too fucking many times before we could escape. I should have known better than to make our baby announcement at the wedding, but it had seemed like a good idea at the time. Plus, the smile on Reed Girl's face when I broached the subject had cemented the idea for me. To say she was thrilled would be an understatement of epic proportions.

"Let's just make a run for it."

Reed Girl giggled as I tried to pull her around yet another group of well-wishers. Jesus fucking Christ, hadn't we spent enough time with these people yet? Didn't they know that I was desperate to get my wife to our room and christen our wedding in the traditional way? Just because she was knocked up didn't mean we didn't want to get it on. Fuckers.

"I can't run in these shoes."

Well, if that was the problem, I could take care of that shit pronto. I grabbed at her, ready to throw her over my shoulder and plow through the crowd. I'd played some running back when I was in Pee Wee Football. I could totally channel that shit now.

"What are you doing?" She batted at my hands, looking gorgeous as hell as she laughed at my desperate ass.

"I'm going to pick you up and make a run for it, obviously."

"That anxious, are we?"

I shot her a look that said, _Are you fucking serious right now?_ which only made her laugh harder.

"You can't blame people for wanting to talk about the baby. You're the one who wanted to announce it to everybody."

Because I'd mistakenly thought it was a good way to get it out there so we didn't have to tell everybody one-on-one anymore. Perhaps I should have just taken out an ad in the paper. Then the fuckers could have read about it and left us the hell alone.

"Well, why do they have to ask nine thousand questions? We don't know what we're having-well, not officially anyway, since I already know he's a boy." I grinned at her eye roll. "We don't have names picked out, or a nursery theme or whatever. You aren't showing, so they should know that shit isn't decided upon."

People were fucking annoying. Especially when they were keeping me from consummating my marriage.

"They're excited for us, Edward." She shook her head. "And we're nearly to the door. Just a few more people to clear."

She shouldn't have fucking said that, because my brother popped into our paths immediately after she closed her mouth.

"Where are you going? The party isn't over! You've got to come over and see Grandmother. It's fucking hilarious. Jasper took her out again."

While I was admittedly curious to see what the grandmonster was like high, I was way more curious to see what my wife had on under her sexy dress.

"You have five minutes," Reed Girl told him before I could tell him to fuck off.

I gave her an incredulous look.

"What? She might actually be nice to me for a minute. It could be her wedding present to us."

The old bat better have gotten us more than that. She was loaded after all.

"Fine. But no more than five minutes."

We followed my brother over to a table in the back corner, where Jasper, Shorty, Blondie, and several of my teammates had gathered.

Grandmonster was holding court at the head of the table, which was nothing unusual, but the smile on her face sure was. There were several empty cake plates in front of her.

"I don't even feel anything. There's no alcohol in this. I'm hungry."

Her voice was all slurred and tired-sounding.

"Look, Grandma! I brought Edward!" my brother boomed, making everybody jolt but Grandmother.

"Eddie!"

Eddie? Nobody fucking called me Eddie, certainly not her.

"Eddie is my youngest grandson, did you know that? Did you know that he's withholding the family name?"

Withholding? What the fuck was she talking about?

"You mean upholding," Jasper corrected. Of course he fucking understood what she meant. Former stoner to current one.

"Right. That's what I said. He got married today. There were pretty colors. Where did they go?" She held her hand out like she was reaching for the colors she'd seen in the sky. What the fuck was his weed laced with?

"Dude, your grandma is awesome." Brady clapped me on the back.

"You wouldn't be saying that three hundred and sixty-one other days of the year, trust me."

"I'm hungry."

Jasper grinned. "What would you like to eat? I'll go get you something."

"I want the colors. You know, the orange one."

She wanted to eat the colors in the sky? What the fuck?

"Jasper, what did you give her?"

He shrugged. "Special blend. She's fine. Just has the munchies. It's normal."

There was nothing normal about the grandmonster being high. It was surreal as hell. "She wants to eat the colors. How is that normal?"

"Nah, she wants something orange. Right, Granny?"

Granny? Clearly she was high, because Grandmonster would have had an aneurism if anybody called her that on a normal day.

"I'll get you an orange, Grammy." Emmett's smile was fucking huge. He was loving this shit. Hell, he was filming this shit with his phone. Of fucking course he was. I wasn't going to complain, though. Maybe we could use it as blackmail one day if she pissed us off.

"No, boy. That's not what I said."

"She wants something orange to eat, but not an orange. Carrots?" Jasper suggested.

"No, Jaspy." Holy fuck, my grandmother called him Jaspy.

"I've seen it all," I muttered to Reed Girl, who was watching wide-eyed.

"I know. This might be the best present anyone gives us."

My girl loved it, too.

"I want to get dirty." She held up her hands and did the money symbol that Johnny Football liked to use. What the fuck?

"Mee maw, I didn't know you had it in you! What kind of dirty are we talking? I can go find Grandpa for you if you want."

My brother was so wrong. We all stared at him, but Grandmonster just laughed.

"No! For the hungry. That's for later."

Holy shit. My ears would never be the same. "I'm not going to be able to get it up now."

Reed Girl laughed. "Oh yes, you are." She managed a quick grope since nobody was looking. "I have every faith you'll rise to the occasion, Champ."

Okay, so I would. I was already getting hard despite what my grandmother had just implied. Reed Girl had magic hands.

"So, what you want is orange and will make your fingers dirty?" Jasper asked, like he could make sense of her babble.

"Yes! You know just what I need, Jaspy. Orange and weed." She started cackling with glee.

"You fucking got her doing your weird poems!" I pointed at him. Somehow the grandmonster was like his high soulmate. It was insane.

Jasper just shrugged. "She likes my rhymes." He turned back to Grandmother. "Cheetos?"

She nodded her head emphatically. "Yes! That's what I want."

I couldn't believe my grandmother knew what a Cheeto was, let alone wanted to eat some.

"I'll take care of it." Jasper headed off to find her some chips. I guess he could relate to her cravings. I still remembered the Snickers incident when Reed Girl and I first got together.

"So, Grams, did you hear the news? Eddie is having a baby."

Fucking Emmett.

"He is? Babies are cute. But loud. His baby will be good because it's a Cullen. He has a legacy to hold."

"So you're not scandalized that he knocked Bella up out of wedlock? You don't think she tried to trap him?"

"Emmett, you fucker! Stop that shit."

I'd hate to have to kick my brother's ass on my wedding night, but I'd totally do it. I'd get my teammates to help me. Judging by the look on Sammy's face, he was considering it.

"What? I'm just trying to see if the real grandmonster is lurking inside there. You know she'd have had some shit to say if she wasn't feeling no pain right now."

"It's fine, Edward. I actually was trying to figure out a way to work it in myself."

Of course Reed Girl wanted to hear her response. I couldn't really blame her.

"Scandal, schmandle. Do you wanna know a secret?"

"Hell yes I do!" My brother was all up in her face he was so excited.

Grandmonster looked around before leaning forward. "I was pregnant when I got married, too!" She fucking shouted that shit and had several people looking our way.

"No way! Nana, you were knocked up?" Emmett could not have been more delighted by this revelation. "Did you trap Grandfather?"

"Of course not. He loved me! Just like Eddie loves her." She gestured at Bella. "You think I can't see. I see it all. I know it all."

That was a scary fucking thought. "Then why are you such a bitch to her, if you know that I love her?"

"It's all about the name. You know."

No, I didn't.

"Bloodlines. Matches. Destiny. Who cares? I just want the best for my babies. Baby. A baby is on the way. He'll be beautiful. I'm very happy for you. Happy and hungry. Where are my cheesy toes?"

Fuck this noise. I was done with these people. "Baby, can we get out of here?"

Reed Girl laughed. "Yes. They can take care of her. She's happy about the baby, at least right now. That's what I wanted to know."

Jasper raced up with his bag of chips, and Grandmonster just about fell out of her chair reaching for it.

"Enjoy your chips, Grandmother."

"I can't get them. Why won't they open?"

Jasper took the bag from her and opened it. She tore right the fuck in. She was going to be covered with orange shit later. I shot a look at my brother.

"I'm taking video and photos. You'll see how it all turns out," he promised. "Happy wedding, bro."

"I know what's going to happen now!" Grandmonster chortled, her mouth already turning orange.

Enough of that shit. I dragged my girl away before she could say anything else that might ruin my night. Bella was laughing so hard I thought I might have to carry her after all, but we finally got out of there. She threw her arms around me when we got into the elevator.

"You have to admit, that was worth seeing."

It was, but… "Nothing beats getting you naked, baby."

That got me a searing-hot kiss that had me contemplating stopping the elevator and taking her then and there. Were there not cameras in there, and not our wedding night, I probably would have done it. As it was, I rubbed myself all over her until the doors opened. We didn't break apart, just fumbled our way down the hall until we got to our room.

"Hurry, Edward." Suddenly my Reed Girl was horny as hell. Hormones were awesome.

When I got the door open, she tried to step past me, but I stopped her. "Oh no. We have a tradition to uphold, baby."

I scooped her into my arms, and she sighed and relaxed against me, her fingers coming up to stroke my cheek. I carried her into the room and kissed her softly before setting her down on her feet.

She looked around and her face lit into a bright smile. "Edward! What did you do?"

The living room was full of wedding flowers. There was a fire roaring in the fireplace and candles lining the balconies outside. I had to admit it was a cool effect. The hotel manager had come through.

"I wanted tonight to be special." I crossed to the coffee table, where a bucket held a chilled bottle. "We can have our own celebration."

"Champagne?" she asked in a disbelieving voice, because she knew me, of course.

I held the bottle out to her, making her laugh. "Sparkling apple juice. I love it."

"I know you can probably have a little champagne without it being an issue, but-"

"This is perfect," she told me, picking up a glass and holding it out. "And I'll tell you now, because I'll probably lose my temper and forget it somewhere down the line, but I love the way you take care of me and our baby. Remember that when I yell at you for being controlling at some point."

I laughed as I filled her glass and then my own. "Thanks for the warning, baby. I know I go too far sometimes, but you're the most important person in my world. I have to do what I can to take care of you."

Her eyes teared up. "I love you so much. You're everything to me."

I pulled her into my arms and kissed her. "I love you, too, Mrs. Cullen."

She laughed and clinked her glass against mine. "You can't get enough of saying that, can you?"

"Fuck no. You remember the first time you wore my jersey? I fucking loved seeing my name on you. Even though I was scared of marriage at the time, I'm pretty sure the idea started to form right then and there." And that made my present for her all the more perfect.

She giggled. "I didn't even dare to imagine that we'd ever get here back then. Maybe in my wildest dreams."

I set my glass aside and stepped into her. "Tell me about the wildest dreams. Leave out no details."

She shook her head and put her hand on my chest. "I'd rather show you than talk about them."

Damn. "I really fucking love you, you know that."

"I really fucking love you, too."

I had to grin. I loved it when she cursed.

"I have something for you."

She raised an eyebrow. "You've given me enough."

That would never be true. "It's traditional, right?"

She smiled. "Yes, but we're hardly traditional. I have something for you, too, but I have to give it to you after we get back home."

That was intriguing. I went over and grabbed the small box from where I'd stashed it. Reed Girl's smile softened when she saw the box. She knew what it was. Giving her that bracelet for Christmas two years ago had been sheer fucking genius. I got her charms for every big occasion. Pure win.

"Happy wedding day, baby."

She opened the box and her mouth fell open. "How? Oh my God. It's perfect! But how?"

"I had it made."

I took it out of the box and clipped it on the bracelet that she never took off. The charms changed, but the thing stayed on her wrist. It was pretty fucking awesome that she even wore it for the wedding.

She held it up, her face positively glowing with happiness. "It says Cullen."

Damn right it did. "That's you now."

She laughed and threw her arms around me. "That's _us_ now."

Yes, perfect, it was us. I led her into a searing kiss, ready to get her out of her clothes and into our bed so we could celebrate her becoming a Cullen in the best way.

She pulled back before I could start undressing her.

"I have a surprise for you. Can you unzip me?"

Fuck yes, I could. A surprise meant sexy lingerie. I couldn't fucking wait. She turned around and I brought her zipper slowly down, making sure to run my fingers over the skin that I bared along the way. Reed Girl shivered against me. She turned, but instead of shrugging off the dress, she held it to her body.

"I need to change. How about you lose the jacket and meet me in the bedroom?"

I didn't need to be told twice. My tux jacket was off before she'd even taken a step toward the bathroom. That made her laugh, but she just sent me a smile over her shoulder as she walked away. She was so damn sexy I could hardly stand it.

I kicked off my shoes and got my cufflinks and tie off. May as well help her out some, right? I headed into the bedroom and found more of the candles and flowers I'd requested. Perfect. The covers were turned down, and all was ready. I just needed my wife.

I could do a little more, though. I took out my iPod and put it on the portable speakers, playing the soft music mix I'd made specifically for Reed Girl. Combing those websites for wedding music had been worth it, what with the wedding song I'd found and this playlist.

"That's pretty."

At the sound of her voice behind me, I turned around and pretty much swallowed my tongue. Holy fuck. She destroyed me. She was wearing white, again, but this was a lot less than what she'd been wearing, and it was fucking hot.

There were tiny little straps that led down to some ruffly flowers over her truly magnificent breasts, with a little bow that sat right below them. The material below that was sort of see-through, so I could see her sexy body along with the tiny white underwear beneath. She looked like an angel ready to commit any number of sins. Thank fuck she'd be committing them with me.

"Holy shit, Reed Girl. You look amazing." There weren't really words for how good she looked. "Incredible. Sexy. Perfect." I spat out what came to my head, but none of them were enough.

She smiled and took a step toward me. "Thank you. I wanted to look special for you on our wedding night."

I reached out to run a finger over her nearly bare shoulder. "You are special. The best. And I can't believe you're mine."

She let out a light laugh. "I think it's the other way around. Who knew when I came gunning for you out on the football field that we'd end up here?"

"Most successful stalking ever. You should be in the record books, baby." I loved making her laugh. It was addictive. _She_ was addictive.

"I don't want records, only you."

I started to open my mouth to respond to that, but she put a finger over my mouth.

"You can't say the same, silly boy. You do want records. And I want them for you."

I opened my mouth and nibbled on her finger, enjoying the way her breathing got a little heavier and her eyes seemingly glazed over.

"Maybe I do, but there's nothing I've ever wanted, or will ever want, more than you."

"I know." She put her arms around my neck. "The same goes for me. Now, how about you take what you want?"

I didn't need any more of an invitation than that. I had her lips on mine in the next instant, and I steered her toward the bed. I broke the kiss and looked down at her. Fucking temptation personified. Looking at her in her sexy lingerie had me breaking out in a cold sweat.

"I don't know whether to take that off you or leave it on." It was a catch-22. She was gorgeous in the lingerie, of course. But I also needed to touch her skin, suck on her perfect pink nipples, slip a finger inside her to feel just how wet she was.

She laughed. "I can always put it back on."

That was a valid point. I slid one of the thin straps down her arm, loving the way she shivered at my touch. I did the same with the other strap, while Reed Girl went to work on my buttons. Her nightie stayed up, held up by her perfect tits. She pushed my shirt off and reached for my undershirt. I helped her get it off me and then tossed it aside.

I tugged the top down, exposing her breasts and letting the soft material slide to the floor. Reed Girl kicked it off and stood in front of me in nothing but tiny white panties.

"You're so fucking sexy. And beautiful. And sexy."

That brought forth more giggles as she started on my pants. "Thank you. It's kind of weird, isn't it?"

"What is?" Weird was not what I was going for tonight.

"Not weird in a bad way. Weird like, it's the same but different."

I got what she meant now. "Because we're married. I guess I know what you mean."

"Yes. It feels…important. Like the first time, almost. Although not like _our_ first time."

I had to laugh. "Because I fucked your brains out in my locker room without knowing your name."

She giggled. "Yes, exactly."

"But I know your name now." I picked her up and placed her gently on the bed. "It's Cullen. Bella Cullen."

Her smile lit the room every bit as much as the candles did. More maybe. "I love that name."

"Me, too. You can't even know."

I lowered myself down on her.

"I think I have a very good idea." She arched her pussy against me, feeling how very much I loved it. "But you should definitely show me just in case."

I grinned at her. "I believe that falls in line with my vows."

She giggled. "Those implied vows. I like those a lot. I'd like to consider them your husbandly duties."

I joined in her laughter. "Husbandly duties, eh? I'd hate to fail at those on our first night."

"You could never fail at those."

Damn right. Sex was my specialty. I started nibbling on her neck, enjoying the way her giggles turned into sighs. Her fingers found my hair, and she tugged lightly, which always turned me on.

I made my way down, licking and sucking on her nipples until they were hard enough to cut glass. Her tits almost seemed bigger today than they were yesterday. It was entirely possible thanks to this pregnancy.

"I love your breasts."

She smiled, still stroking my hair. "I know. More so now than ever, I think."

"Well, there's more to love now."

I felt her laughter along with hearing it. "You can get away with saying that now, but I'd watch it in a few months."

I moved my way down and kissed her stomach. "You won't let your mom kick my ass if I tell her that when we're able to see that you're in there, will you?"

"Edward," my girl whispered.

I looked up and saw the tears in her eyes. "Don't cry, baby."

"Good tears. That's the first time you've actually talked to our baby."

Huh. I guess it was. I kissed her stomach again.

"I honestly didn't think anything could be better than our wedding, but that? That was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

I didn't really know what to say to that.

Reed Girl cupped my face. "Are you blushing? I don't think I've ever seen you blush. Don't be embarrassed, Edward. It was…I think I fell in love with you more, if that makes sense."

It did. I pressed a kiss to her palm. "I'm sure I'll do plenty of talking to him before he arrives. There are things he needs to know." Then it hit me. "You don't think he knows what we're about to do, do you?"

She giggled. "The size of a plum, remember? And we've been through this. Sex is a good thing. In fact, it's a must. Vows, remember?"

Right. The baby didn't even have arms and such yet. I really needed to look in the book and find out when he'd have awareness of noises and such from the outside. If babies even did. I didn't know.

"Edward?" Reed Girl cocked an eyebrow at me.

Damn it, what was I doing thinking about the book when I had a mostly naked wife waiting for me to get on with my husbandly duties and vows? I was a moron.

I kissed her belly again before making my way down to the one piece of clothing that remained in my way. I hooked the little strings with my thumbs and pulled them down her sexy legs. She lay bare before me, watching me with those dark beautiful eyes. I grinned before kissing her right inner thigh. It was smooth as silk.

"Bless the spa."

She started to laugh, but it choked off when I took a lick of her pussy. "Edward."

I loved the way she said my name, that breathy sigh. I flicked her clit back and forth before sucking it into my mouth and giving it a little nibble with my teeth that had her moaning and moving beneath me. I worked her over, sliding my fingers inside her, alternating with my tongue, until she came apart.

I stood and took off my boxers. Reed Girl started to get off the bed, but I shook my head. I wanted to be inside her now.

"But I have vows, too." She reached for my cock and stroked it.

Fucking awesome. She slid over on the bed and took me into her mouth. It took everything I had in me to stand there and not start fucking her face. If I did that, I'd come way too quickly. I enjoyed her wet, hot mouth and talented tongue for several minutes before I stepped back.

"I need to be inside you."

She smiled and lay back. "By all means."

I moved back on top of her and framed her face with my hands. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Thank you for tonight. It's been a dream come true."

I felt like I'd won the Super Bowl, just from hearing her say that. "Only the best for my wife."

She kissed me and I shifted, sliding inside her. Her fingers linked with mine. We were joined in every possible way. We moved slowly, eyes open, and I swear I felt her smiling against my lips.

She was right. It was the same but it was different. Somehow it was better. More, maybe. Whatever it was, I felt more connected to her now. Physically and legally. She was mine and I was hers. Forever.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N Happy As Young As You Feel Day! Seriously, I looked it up. It's also National Goof-Off Day (which might trace back to feeling young) and World Water Day. So, drink up and goof off! Works for me on a Sunday!**

**In sports news, how's your bracket? My Final Four are still intact, but that's about all the bragging rights I have. Busted on the first game like much of the nation. Ah well, that's what makes it fun! And I couldn't be unhappy that GA State won because their coach is hilarious. Did you see his interview? His son hit the game winning shot and he said he should have more kids. haha I like that dude.**

**More below, but I'll let you get to it. A certain little miss is back :) I know she's been missed! Enjoy and I'll see you next week!  
**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 28

"She's pissed at me." I didn't know why in the hell it bothered me so much, but it did.

"She just needs a little time," Reed Girl assured me.

I looked in the rearview mirror, seeing Rainbow sitting on the backseat. I wasn't sure if cats understood the concept of mirrors, but I swear she knew I was watching her and she glared at my ass. That before turning her back on me and starting to lick herself.

It was weird. Rainbow _never_ rode in the back of the car. She'd either ride on Reed Girl or climb up and lie behind my neck, looking out the window and making me look like an insane person to people we drove past. I should be happy that she wasn't all up on me, but I wasn't.

"You know, _I'm_ the one who wanted to include you in the wedding. I shouldn't be punished."

Rainbow, of course, continued to ignore me.

"Look, I would have loved to have you there. You could have scratched the shit out of Renee when she spouted her fucked-up views on marriage. You could have freaked the fuck out of the high grandmonster." Just the thought of that had me smiling. God only knew what she'd think of Rainbow at the wedding.

"She could have taken down those bitches you slept with in your misguided youth."

Oops. That was a danger tone. Time to diffuse it. "Come on, baby, you know I didn't invite them."

She huffed. "They still shouldn't have shown up. It's just rude."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "They'd have considered it rude not to show up. They're Mom's friends after all."

Reed Girl didn't look placated.

"Besides, if you asked me to point out which one I was with and which one Emmett was, I couldn't even tell you. They didn't matter then, and they sure as fuck don't matter now."

She sniffled, and I jerked the car into the nearest parking lot. I pulled her into my arms.

"I'm sorry, baby. Do you want me to call and give my mom their names? I'll make sure they're never at anything that we're at ever again." I wouldn't have to. Mom would totally throw them out of her society bullshit.

Reed Girl just held on to me and shook her head. Crap. It wasn't enough. What could I do? I couldn't turn back time and throw them out of the wedding.

"No, that was just so sweet."

Fuck. She'd nearly given me a heart attack, and she was crying those happy tears again. Hormones were insane. She'd been insatiable all night, to the point that I was going to have to take a nap when we got back to Tally because I was tired as fuck. But _those_ were hormones I'd never complain about. These hormones, the ones that made her cry at the drop of a hat, freaked me out. Reed Girl was not a crier, and I loved that about her.

Reed Girl pulled back and smiled at me. Crisis averted. Thank fuck.

"So it was sweet that I'd get my mom to kick their asses?"

"Yes."

I'd never get women. At least not pregnant women. I got Reed Girl, most of the time. Before hormones.

"She'd be happy to do it."

Reed Girl laughed. "I have no doubt of that, but I wouldn't want to diminish her mood right now."

That was true. My mom was on a natural high, unlike Grandmonster. The wedding had gone off beautifully, despite her earlier food and flower freak-outs. Emmett had given Mom the video of Grandmonster at the reception, which I was pretty sure had made her entire life.

"She's never going to take one word of shit from Grandmother ever again." We all had fantastic blackmail, thanks to Jasper. I really needed to plan that guy's weekend. He deserved it.

"None of us is. Although I wouldn't mind getting the number of Jasper's dealer."

I gaped at her.

"Just so we'd have a supply to keep her high if the need arose."

Thank fuck. "Baby, you scared the shit out of me."

She laughed. "I'm not turning into a pothead, Edward. I promise."

Good. I may be cool with Jasper now, but I couldn't imagine my wife acting like him or the grandmonster. It just wouldn't work for me.

"Besides, I wasn't talking about her being high from the wedding or your grandmother."

I raised an eyebrow at her.

"I'm talking about her reaction to the baby's picture. I think she made about a hundred copies."

I laughed. That was true as hell. "I wouldn't put it past her to include it in the family Christmas card this year."

That set her off. "Oh my God. That would be hilarious. I hope she does it!"

I shook my head. "Don't encourage her, baby. You know that now that our wedding is handled, she's going to shift focus to baby showers, don't you?"

Reed Girl giggled. "She already asked if I'd prefer March or April."

Go figure. Mom wasn't happy if she wasn't planning some sort of party. Thank fuck I didn't have to be involved in that one. Fuck that noise. Baby showers were for girls. That was my story and I was sticking to it.

"Let me know what weekend you pick, and I'll arrange a trip for the guys to go to Atlantic City or something."

"You don't want to go to the baby shower?"

Oh shit, her lower lip was poking out. Fucking hell.

"I'll go, if you want." I'd make Jasper, Emmett, and Sammy come. If I had to be there, so did they.

The pouty look held for a few more seconds before Reed Girl dissolved into giggles.

"You were fucking with me, weren't you?"

She grinned. "Yes. But I love that you'd go if I wanted you there."

I was so fucking whipped. "Just don't tell the guys I said that."

"Too late."

She held up her phone. I reached for it, but she yanked it back.

"I'm kidding! When did I have time to text?"

Like I knew? She could be sneaky if she wanted to.

Speaking of phones…

"Hey, baby, can you check my e-mail?"

I had to get us back on the road, so I handed it over. Rainbow was watching me again, no doubt wondering why we'd stopped and started.

"You have something from Alec titled _It's done."_

Good! That was the one.

"Can you open that one and read it to me?"

Reed Girl shrugged but did as I asked. She read in silence for a few seconds before sending me a blinding smile. "You did this?"

"I told Alec to. What does it say?"

She sat up and cleared her throat. " _Page Six. Ladies of New York and New Jersey, we really fumbled the ball this time. Edward Cullen, the hottest prospect to hit the NFL in ages (and I'm not just talking about his football ability), married his longtime girlfriend, Isabella Swan, in a beachside ceremony in Florida yesterday. We're told that several of the groom's teammates were on hand and the lovely ladies of Florida were doing their best to make them forget about the girls back home. Could we be losing any more of our beloved Giants to the Florida sun? Time will tell, but we can't let those southerners score any more of our men. It's time to play some defense and score a touchdown of our own. Go get 'em, girls!"_

I had to laugh. "The boys will love that. Especially if girls start throwing themselves at them." They'd eat that shit up with a spoon.

She joined in my laughter. "No doubt! Too bad they didn't run a blurb about Colin and my mom."

I snorted. "Renee will probably send one in herself."

"True. Hey, there's more! _That wasn't the only big news of the week. Our handsome quarterback also announced that he and his new wife are bringing a new addition to the Giants family later this year. You know us, dear readers. We'd be the first to snark at this information if we thought there was a shotgun involved, other than the shotgun formation. But the lovebirds have been engaged since the draft, and little birdies tell us that they're the real deal. So, join us in congratulating the Cullens on their wedding and their little bundle of joy. Maybe our sons and daughters will stand a better chance than we did in twenty years. Here's hoping!"_

She sat in silence for several moments. It freaked me the fuck out.

"That didn't bother you, did it, baby? You said that Alec could release it."

"No, it didn't bother me." She took my hand in both of hers. "I just needed a minute to absorb it. The world knows now, or they will, when the sports radio people get to talking."

And? Wasn't that the point?

"It just makes it even more real." She brought my hand to her belly and held both of our hands against it. "I love it."

I moved my thumb against her stomach, stroking it lightly. "I'm glad. I wanted everybody to know I was yours and that we're a family now. All of us."

No sooner had I said that than Rainbow stuck her head between my arm and the seat. It was like she fucking understood what we were saying.

Reed Girl giggled. "Yes, Rainbow. You're included in that as well. We're a legally bound family."

Rainbow head-butted my arm. Reed Girl let my hand go, and I gave Rainbow a pet. She gave Reed Girl a bop as well before jumping onto her place behind my neck. She settled in, purring away.

"I think we're forgiven," Reed Girl observed, sounding amused.

I had to admit, I was glad. The wedding had been awesome, the wedding night even better, but being here with both my girls felt right. Rainbow had been the one thing missing. Not that I'd ever admit that shit out loud. Even to Reed Girl.

"Everything is as it should be," she said, telling me that maybe we were on the same page, as usual.

"Yes, it is."

"Let's get home. I want to continue our honeymoon."

The way she was looking at me was enough to have me putting the pedal to the metal. Reed Girl was right, as always. We may not be going anywhere fancy, but as long as I was with her, I was exactly where I wanted to be. All we needed was a bed, or at least a private room, and each other. That was all a honeymoon needed to be.

Xoxoxoxoxo

"Are you sure you want me to come into class with you, baby?" I had no problem waiting outside if she didn't want me to be a distraction.

She laughed and squeezed my hand. "Yes, I do. Remember that I said I had a wedding present for you as well? This is it."

I thought about making a sarcastic comment about how going to class was hardly a present for me, but the gleam in her eyes and the excitement on her face had me holding back. My wife was up to something, and I couldn't wait to see what it was.

I walked with her into the music building. All eyes were on us, but I wasn't sure if that was because of me or because of Bella. She was pretty big shit in the music program, after all. I fucking loved that. She was so talented.

We walked into the auditorium, sitting with the students in the front few rows. There was a piano on stage, and a chair that sat off to the side. Reed Girl spoke to a few of her classmates but held my hand the whole time. I saw a few people who'd been at our wedding and gave them a smile and a nod. We sat in the front row, and she kept my hand in hers.

"Good morning, class!"

The professor walked across the stage. He looked positively giddy as his eyes fell on my girl.

"I'm thrilled to announce that our own Isabella Swan has already completed her final composition. She's asked to be able to perform it today."

I got another hand squeeze as my girl stood. "Actually, it's Cullen now."

Fuck if I didn't love hearing her say that. Maybe that was her present for me. It was perfect.

At his blank look, she continued. "My last name. It's Cullen now."

"I see." His mouth formed a thin line, and that's when I knew that that fucker had the hots for my wife. "Congratulations."

Ha! He couldn't have sounded less sincere, but my girl totally ignored it.

"This is for you. It's us," she whispered, kissing my cheek before she made her way up onto the stage and sat at the piano.

The song started out loud, with two sounds that didn't really go together, but then it smoothed out and became harmonious. Separate but together. I couldn't contain my grin because it really was us. Clashing in the beginning but then becoming one.

It continued that way for a bit, before a new sound came in. It took me a few seconds before I realized what it was. A heartbeat. Our baby. And then, somehow, she made that sound join our sound and it all became one.

It was fantastic. Fucking perfect. She'd written songs about us before, but this was the best. And I wasn't the only one who thought so, because as the last chord faded out, her fellow students gave her a standing ovation. I was right up there, applauding with them. Even Professor StandsNoChance was smiling and clapping.

Reed Girl blushed and smiled, giving a quick bow before she hurried off the stage and straight into my arms. I didn't give a damn that we had an audience; I planted a big kiss right on her to thank her for my present. She sighed and melted into my arms.

We finally came up for air when the teacher cleared his throat. "Yes, well, thank you, Isabella. That was an incredible piece."

We sat back down. She was practically in my lap, which got us the beady eye from the jealous prick, but I didn't give a fuck. We were newlyweds, damn it, and my wife had just given me an amazing gift.

He started yapping, and I kissed her cheek. "Thank you, baby. That was so perfect. It was us, just like you said," I whispered.

She smiled and linked her fingers with mine. "I wanted to record it for us to play at the wedding, but it wasn't quite done yet. I couldn't finish it until after we were married. I actually wrote the rest in my head while lying in your arms."

No wonder it was so fucking awesome. I couldn't tell you what the rest of the class was about because I couldn't keep my eyes off my wife. Finally it was time to go, and we made our way out, though we got waylaid several times by admiring classmates.

As soon as we were out of the room, I pulled her to me and kissed her hard, pressing her against the outside of the building, not caring that there were students milling about everywhere. I had to have her, right then.

When we broke apart, she grinned up at me. "Wow. If that's how you react, I'm going to write you a million songs."

I laughed. "Go right ahead, but I don't know if you can top that one. It was incredible."

She blushed again. "I'm glad you liked it."

"I didn't like it. I loved it." I cupped her face, running my thumb over her cheek. "I've never said this before. Are you ready?"

Her eyes widened but she nodded.

"I've never had to be number two before, but this once, I'll gladly accept it. _You,_ Bella Cullen, are truly the most talented Cullen of us all."

A giggle escaped her lips before she threw her arms around me. "Yes, those are words that I never expected to come from your mouth. But I love it. And I love you."

"I love you, too, baby." We kissed again before some asshole bumped into me as he walked by. "Can we get the fuck out of here?" I wanted-no, I _needed_ to get her naked.

"Yes."

I took her hand and headed toward the car.

"By the way, that was one of my finals."

I stopped and stared at her. "Really?"

She nodded. "That was the hardest one. Since that's done, I'll likely be able to finish up a few days before graduation."

I grinned. "Fucking awesome, baby! I'm happy for you."

She smiled. "Be happy for us. That means I'll get to you a few days earlier."

Those words had my heart beating faster. "Really? But what about graduation?"

She shook her head. "College graduations are boring as hell. They last for hours, and you know about three of your classmates. My Dad already traveled down here for the wedding, and you know my mother won't give a damn. You won't be able to be there. I'd rather skip it and move up to be with you sooner."

Sooner. I loved hearing that. I swept her into my arms and twirled her around. "Are you sure, baby? Be sure." I wanted her in Jersey as quickly as I could get her, but I didn't want to rob her of an important experience.

"I'm very sure. I want to be with my husband. That's where I belong."

Yes. We belonged together. I kissed the hell out of her.

"So, what, like a month to go?"

She grinned. "Yes. And since I got my composition done early, I can come up for Thanksgiving as well. So, basically a couple weeks until I see you, and then a couple weeks after, we'll be together forever."

That sounded so right. "I can't wait, baby."

"Me either." She stroked her fingers through my hair. "Now, take me home and make love to me. The most talented Cullen wants to be worshipped as she should be."

Hell yes. She was fucking perfect for me. "Your wish is my command, Mrs. Cullen."

I loved saying that. And she loved hearing it. Her grin lit up her whole face. I was sure mine was doing the same. One month, and finally everything would be as it should be. I couldn't wait.

Xoxoxoxox

It wasn't fucking right. I stood next to the plane, Sammy at my side, and my wife standing in front of us doing her damndest not to cry. I knew she wanted to. Hell, I fucking wanted to. We were married now, and we shouldn't have to be apart, even if it wasn't for that long. I fucking hated it.

"You have to get going," she said, pushing her hair out of her face as the wind whipped it around.

"I don't want to."

She sighed. "I know. I don't want you to either."

Sammy cleared his throat. "I'll just take Rainbow and go inside." He gave Reed Girl a hug. "Your wedding was beautiful. Thank you for allowing me to be part of it."

She smiled at him as he released her. "Thank you for coming. I'm truly glad that Edward has a friend like you on the team. It makes it easier to be away from him, knowing you're there."

Sammy shook his head. "Lucky fucker. I'll keep an eye on him for you. You get your stuff done, take care of the little one, and I'll see you soon. We'll welcome you to Jersey in style."

She laughed. "I look forward to it."

Sammy nudged me, and I handed over Rainbow. She went eagerly enough. Reed Girl gave her a few kisses before Sammy turned and climbed into the plane.

Bella put her arms around me. Sad brown eyes looked up at me. "I love you."

"I love you, too, baby. I don't want to go. This is fucking killing me."

Her lip trembled and she blinked several times. "I know. Me too. But I'll see you in a couple weeks. And then two more after that, I'll be there permanently. I have finals and packing-"

"Like hell you do. I'm hiring people to pack for you. No heavy lifting." No way was she doing anything strenuous. It wasn't good for her or our baby.

She laughed. "I meant clothes. It's not like I'm bringing much more than that anyway."

That was true. We were donating or giving away most of our shit. Jasper wanted my old chair for some reason. I didn't really want to know why. Probably something about being closer to me. God only knew. He was still weird, even if he was my best friend and someone I could count on.

"Still. You don't need to bother with that. Just get yourself up there. I'll buy you anything you could possibly need." I tightened my hold on her. I didn't want to let her go. Not ever.

She smiled sadly. "We'll have to do plenty of shopping, I'm sure. I don't have much in the way of winter clothes, not to mention the fact that most of my stuff won't fit soon."

That was a valid point. "Whatever you need."

"You're all I need." She burrowed into my chest, and I buried my head in her hair. I wished I could bottle the way she smelled. Even having her shampoo and shit at home wasn't quite the same.

"Same goes, baby."

The plane's engine started that high-pitched noise. It was time.

"You have to go." She looked up at me again and tried to put on a brave face. She failed, but I appreciated the effort.

"I do." I'd never regretted being an NFL player until this very moment. Leaving her had always been difficult, but this was worse for some reason.

"You already said that." Her smile got a little brighter. "Thank you for marrying me."

I forced out a laugh. "I think I'm the one who should be thanking you for taking me on. You're in for it, you know. I'm not easy."

She laughed. "I look forward to it, Mr. Cullen. And you're plenty easy for me."

I couldn't argue with that. "Yes, that's true."

She stood on her tip toes and brushed her lips against mine. "Two weeks."

That was going to be my mantra. "Being with you will definitely be something to be thankful for."

"Agreed."

The plane made another loud noise.

"I can't keep you any longer." Reed Girl planted a deeper, longer kiss on me.

I held her as tightly as I could, wishing with everything I had in me that I could carry her onto the plane with me.

"You'll always have me, even when I'm not there."

She smiled, but the tears started down her face. I wiped them away with my thumbs.

"I love that. I love you. Call me when you get there?"

"I love you. That'll be the first thing that I do. I promise."

"You keep your promises."

"I do. Just like my vows." I kissed her again. "Take care of yourself and the baby for me until I can officially take over next month."

She laughed. "You've already taken over, but I will."

We kissed one more time.

"Make sure Jasper drives carefully," I reminded her as she pulled away. I hadn't wanted her to drive herself home. I knew she'd be sad and likely crying. No way was I risking her having an accident.

"He will. He takes his promises to you very seriously."

"I love you."

"I love you. Go kick some ass on the field for me."

"I will. Go kick some musical ass for me. And tell Jacob to fuck off if he talks to you again."

Reed Girl smiled sadly. "I'll just show him my rings." She threw her arms around me again. "Go. I can't walk away with you standing here."

So I kissed her again and did as she asked. I didn't want to make it harder on her than it already was, even if I wanted to keep my eyes on her until she was out of sight.

I got on the plane and hurried to a seat by the window. She was standing there and lifted her hand in a wave. I waved back.

"Here." Sammy handed Rainbow over.

I held her up in the window and saw Reed Girl smile through her tears. Jasper got out of the car and walked over to put an arm around her. He shot me a wave that I returned. The plane taxied away and eventually turned. She was out of sight. I fucking hated it. I buried my face in Rainbow's fur and took some deep breaths, trying not to lose my shit in front of Sammy and the flight attendants.

He waited until we'd been in the air for about ten minutes to speak. "It must really suck to leave her."

I let out a hard laugh. "You don't even fucking know."

Rainbow purred and burrowed closer to me, like she knew I needed her. She probably did. She was smart like that.

"Everyone will keep an eye on her."

I turned to look at him. "I know. It's not the same, though."

"Yeah. I figured."

It hit me, then. "You knew how hard it was going to be. Is that why you asked for a ride back?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. It's not like I didn't have a good time, though." He flashed me a wolfish grin. "Kylie is a lot of fun. Those musical girls have good lungs, if you know what I'm saying."

This time my laugh was real. "Seeing as I married a musical girl, I think you know that I know. But no comment."

He snickered. "I bet. Anyway, I figured you could use some company so you didn't wallow the whole way home."

He was right. "Thanks, man."

"I should be thanking you. The team never offered me the plane. This is the shit."

I chuckled as Rainbow, sensing that I was okay now, hopped out of my arms and over to her pillow. I swear she fucking shot the flight attendant a look and had her tuna presented to her moments later.

Sammy laughed. "Shit. That cat gets treated better than I do."

"Well, she is smarter than you."

He smacked my arm.

"Watch it. Coach'll have your ass if I can't play."

"I'll blame it on Bella. Tell him you injured yourself on your honeymoon."

I smiled just thinking about it. It was rather surprising I hadn't pulled a groin with all the action I'd gotten. Fuck. How was I supposed to go two weeks without her? And then two more?

"So, I'm thinking we should grab dinner and have a beer at your place. Celebrate your non-bachelorhood."

I glanced at him. "Are you looking out for me, Sammy?"

He grinned. "You're my quarterback. That's my job."

I nodded. It was good to have a friend with me. I knew Reed Girl wasn't going to be left alone tonight. Shorty and Blondie were planning a sleepover. I supposed hanging with Sammy and drinking a beer was the male version of that. It sucked, but we'd get through. There wasn't that much time left. We'd make it. We always did.

**A/N**

**Been trying to do some reading lately (real books and fic, go me!) and wanted to make a few recs since I've had the time to read. Shout out to Tarbecca over at A Different Forest who goes fic diving and posts links every week. This is where I get new things to read. All of these are on FF.  
**

**Reality Imagined by SammieRobicheau, Two Blue Lines by Payton79, On The Line by NewTwilightFan, Welcome to What-A-Burger Number Unknown by jane-with-a-y, Off the Cuff by Maplestyle & Play, Pause, Repeat by RRose. If you're looking for some new stuff, check them out. Happy reading!**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N Happy National Lemon Chiffon Cake Day! Haha There were several more, Mom & Pop Business Owners Day, Palm Sunday, Smoke & Mirrors Day? but that one was my favorite. And it sounds yummiest, so there you go. **

**In sports news, we're narrowing down the Final Four today. I believe. I actually watched the end of the UK/ND game last night, mainly because I saw all these tweets that the upset may occur and bc I have great dislike for Notre Dame and picked Kentucky to win. I'd like to think they pulled it out because I flipped over there. hehe I like to think I have a lot of power and control that I clearly don't, but that's the beauty of sports. You get so involved and feel like part of the team. My mom's Spartans are trying for another upset today. We'll see what happens!  
**

**As I post, ABC Family is airing Twilight. I can't believe how long ago it came out, and that I've been part of this fandom for what? Six and a half years? Time flies! I actually got into the books right about the time that movie came out, from a rec from a friend on a sports site that had a lot of the same taste as me. I can't say that I've read the books in a long time, but I still stop on the movies now and then :) How did you get into the saga?**

**Okay, enough yammering. It's time for some football, and a few other things. I've been asked recently if we're near the end, and while we're past the halfway point, I imagine, I still have plenty to do. There's a baby to be birthed after all! So I don't have a count of how many chapters this will be yet (I'll keep you posted) but I'd say confidently that chapters will be in the 40's at that time. Plenty left to do! Thanks for coming along for the ride! Have a great week and I'll see you next week, same time, same place!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 29

I have to say, having a friend and teammate like Sammy didn't suck. I'd always been buds with my teammates, but with the exception of Jasper, it had always been surface relationships. We'd hang and party and shit, but I'd hardly confided in the fuckers. Or wanted them to do that with me. But Sammy kept me company all night and didn't give me shit when I'd walk away to call my wife or when I sent her some texts during the Monday Night Football game. He crashed in the guest room, and we went in together to start the work week.

"I'm telling you, man. Everywhere we went, people asked about you. And did I tell you that Kylie lives in a sorority house?"

He had. Only about a hundred times. And judging by the shit-eating grin on his face, he wasn't going to stop telling me anytime soon.

"Which one?" I'd been in most of them before I met Reed Girl.

"Tri-Delt."

"Tri-Delt. Everyone else has." I ducked out of the way when he took a playful swing at me. "Hey, I didn't make that shit up. It's common knowledge."

"Yeah? Do you have firsthand knowledge?"

I did, but I sure as hell wasn't commenting. Past conquests didn't mean shit to me now that I had Reed Girl in my life.

"Are you planning on seeing her again?" I asked as we headed into the workout room. I needed to get to work. I hadn't been in the gym since I'd hit Tally. Of course, I'd had a much better way of working out during that time. The best way. Fuck, I missed my wife.

"I don't know. I'm sure we'll talk and text now and then, but neither of us is head over heels. We both knew it was just some wedding fun." He held out a hand to stop me from continuing on. "Speaking of wedding fun, there's your dad!"

I followed his gaze, and sure enough, there was Colin doing some leg lifts.

"Fuck that noise. Don't even suggest that shit."

"Yeah, yeah. Fine. But we have got to hear what went down!" And he dragged me over to the weight bench.

"How's it going…shit, is there a name for younger dudes who bang older women?" Sammy asked me, like I fucking knew.

"Cubs," Colin said with a grin. "Or you can just call me Lucky, if you want."

Fucking gross. "I do not want. I don't even really want to hear this. Why am I here?"

"You know you're curious," Sammy told me.

Was I? I wasn't sure. Part of me was disgusted, for sure. The other part was-damn it, I was curious. Why the fuck was I curious?

"It's only normal. Colin actually got a girl. Well, woman in this case. An older, admittedly pretty damn sexy, woman."

"My mother-in-law. As in mother of my wife. It's fucking weird. I don't want to think of Renee and sex."

"If it bothers you any less, she would love for us to talk about it. She asked if we compared notes."

"Probably so she could solicit future business." Shit. That was terrible. Thank fuck Reed Girl wasn't here to catch that thought. "I don't mean that she's a hooker or anything. I just meant that she'd probably like to hook up with some of the others." And that wasn't any better.

Sammy chuckled. "Dude, that's just wrong."

"No, it isn't. She asked about both you and Paul." Colin shrugged. "I gave her your number."

"What?" Sammy yelled, reaching for his phone as if he could change the number through his touch or some fucking thing. "Why would you do that?"

He burst out laughing. "Chill, bro. I'm just kidding. Trust me, you guys were the last thing on her mind once I got done with her."

Fucking hell. "I really don't want to hear this."

"Relax, Cullen. I don't fuck and tell. _All night long._ All you need to know is your mother-in-law still has it going on."

I leveled him with a stare. "And why the fuck would I need to know that?"

"Duh. She's your girl's mother. And she looks just like her. I can assure you that when Bella hits her forties, everything is still going to be in excellent shape."

He did not just fucking say that. He was a dead man. I took a step toward him, ready to brain him with one of the free weights lying on the floor, but Sammy stepped in front of me.

"Now, now, you don't need to kill the guy who covers your blind side," Sammy murmured to me.

"Colin, you prick, you don't talk about what a man's wife is going to look like when she's naked. Especially not his new, faraway wife. Got it?" Sammy kept his eyes on me, addressing Colin without looking at him, just in case I was going to attack.

"Dude, I was mostly kidding." Colin held up his hands. "I was just giving you shit, seriously. You did ruin my car, after all."

I rolled my neck, working on relaxing. "I didn't do shit to your car."

"No, but your girl did. And I fucked her mother. Not that revenge was my motivation, but we're even now, right?"

"Not cool, man." Sammy shook his head. "Colin, cut the _I'm a stud_ bullshit. It's not who you are, and it's only the three of us here right now. You don't have to put on a fucking show for us."

Colin let the leg bar go with a loud clang. "Okay. I'm sorry." He looked down. "The truth is…I didn't hook up with her."

I did a double take at that news. "What? You two left together right after I introduced you. And Renee seemed to be all into you."

He snorted. "She was, or I thought she was. But her ex, who I'm fairly sure is younger than I am, was outside the ballroom. He begged her to take him back, and she went off with him." He let out a bitter laugh. "But not before asking for my number, so we could get to know each other better and maybe hook up sometime."

Damn. "Sorry, man. That fucking sucks." Although a part of me was relieved he hadn't banged her. That would have been just all sorts of awkward.

"Tell me you didn't give her your number," Sammy pleaded. "Seriously, I will kick your ass myself if you did." It was hilarious because Colin outweighed Sammy by a good hundred pounds or so. But he meant it.

"Fuck no." Colin grinned. "I gave her Jennings' number."

We all started laughing at that.

"You're kidding! That's awesome," Sammy complimented.

Even I had to admit it was pretty damn funny.

"He had way too much fun teasing me over the whole Brandy thing. If she latches on to him, he deserves it."

"I hope she does. That would be great!" Sammy smacked him on the back. "Good job, man. Enough gabbing, though. Time to work up a sweat."

He headed over to the rowing machine to warm up, but I stayed behind.

"What? Still want to kick my ass? I haven't lost enough face?"

I sighed. "We both know that I couldn't truly kick your ass. And that's not what I wanted anyway." I ran my hand through my hair. "Look. I'm glad you didn't hook up with Renee."

He nodded. "No joke."

"Not because of her, because of you. You deserve better than that. All she wants is a fat wallet, and maybe a fat cock to go with it." I held up a hand. "Don't even respond to that last part."

He laughed, for real this time.

"I know you want what I have. And who can blame you? My girl is awesome. But Renee is not the answer. Bella is nothing like her." Thank fuck. "Even if they do share DNA. If she'd hooked up with you, it would only have been until something better came along. You need someone who puts you first."

"I know. I just thought that she was a sure thing, so why not? Stupid, I guess."

"Not stupid. Human. But it would have been a temporary thing, and you would have wanted something real eventually. It'll come. Probably when you least expect it." I grinned. "I sure as hell didn't expect Bella to crash into me, pick a fight, seduce me, and worm her way into my head and then my heart. And I'm married to her now." It was still mind-blowing.

"You want a quality woman? Stop going to the clubs and bars and shit. I'm not saying that there might not be a good one there, but you stand a better chance meeting one at like, I don't know. Where you volunteer and shit."

Colin shook his head. "I get what you're saying. Maybe I'll start going to the library or something."

I laughed. "Bella worked at the library when we first met." She was the sexiest band geek librarian that ever existed.

He chuckled. "Go figure. I'm going to get a library card."

"You do that. And stay away from my mother-in-law."

"Gladly! Tell Bella I didn't touch her mom, okay? I don't want her to hate me any more than she already does."

"She doesn't. She was more worried about you than her mother, I think. Don't sweat it."

"Yeah, well, speaking of sweat, we'd better bust some ass."

He was right. I had a lot of work to do before we played the Cowboys again this weekend. I had no intention of losing to them again. Not here, in my house. I nodded at Colin and headed over to get to work.

A while later, the gym was full of my teammates working out. Everybody was into it when Jennings let out a yell.

"What the fuck? How drunk was I the other night?" he demanded of JPP.

"You were semiconscious. Why?"

"Because this chick keeps on texting me that she's sorry we got interrupted before we got to the good stuff. She keeps sending me pictures. Do you remember her?" He held out his phone.

My eyes met Colin's and I would tell he was doing everything he could not to burst out laughing. Sammy wasn't even trying to conceal his laughter.

"Nah, I don't know her. She's kinda hot, for an older woman."

"Yeah, but I swear I've never seen her before. Wh-" He broke off with a choking sound when his phone chimed again. "Holy shit."

"What?" Colin asked eagerly.

"Nothing." He quickly tucked his phone away. "Don't worry about it."

"Did she send you another picture? Was it sexy?" Sammy asked between laughter.

"Don't worry about it. I'll just talk to her later." He stomped off to the other side of the room.

"I think he just got spank-bank material," Sammy told us.

Even I had to laugh. I was grateful as hell that he hadn't shown us whatever Renee had sent him, but Sammy was more than likely right. Reed Girl had told me some stories. Stories I'd done my best suppress in order to maintain my sanity.

"I think I dodged a bullet," Colin decided.

"You did," I assured him. "Whatever she's sending, I don't think we want to know."

"I do." Sammy grinned. "I'm going to get him to show me that phone if it kills me. You coming?"

"Fuck no." I'd dodged a bullet of my own. None of my teammates had hooked up with Renee. It was a relief.

"Nah." Colin shook his head. "She had her shot. I don't want to know what I'm not missing."

"Good for you." I was proud of him, in a weird way. Maybe he was going to listen to me this time.

"You guys are no fun." Sammy sighed. "But I guess I get it. We'll leave her to Jennings. Let's go get some food before practice."

That sounded like a much better plan. "Let's do it."

Xoxoxoxox

Later in the week, I came out of practice and saw I had some texts from Danny.

_Hi, Edward! Are you getting ready for the game?_

_I don't know if you have plans, but Dad said that I could ask you over for Thanksgiving since you don't play that day. Do you want to come over?_

_It's okay if you don't. You might be busy. But I wanted to ask. We could play football if you come over._

It was actually a cool idea, if it was really okay with his parents. Before I responded, though, I needed to talk to my girl.

"Hi." She sounded so fucking sexy. "I missed you. How was practice?"

"Not bad. I missed you, too. I'm getting ready to grab dinner with the guys, but I wanted to check in with you on something."

"What's up?"

"Me."

That made her laugh. "What else is new?"

I grinned. When it came to her, I was always up. "I got a text from Danny, asking if I wanted to come over for Thanksgiving. I know we don't have anything planned, but I didn't know if you wanted to stay home or whatever."

Her warm laugh filled the line. "If I'm invited, I'd love to go. Saves me from having to cook."

Like I'd have her do that. "I could get the housekeeper-"

"No. I really want to meet Danny and his family. They made quite an impression on you."

"Okay, baby. I'll give them a call and let you know."

"Who are we calling? Hi, Bella," Sammy called as he came up behind me.

She laughed. "Tell him hi back. Go eat. I need to do that and study."

"All right, baby. I'll call you when I get home."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you, too. Bye."

I disconnected. "I'm calling Danny back. His family invited me to Thanksgiving. I have to see if it's cool to bring Bella."

"That sounds fun."

"Yeah. Do you have any plans?" Danny wanted to play football, after all. I needed a team.

"Nah. My mom was supposed to come out, but she's working instead. She refuses to quit, even though I can afford to pay all her bills and then some."

"My family is the same way. We certainly don't have to have jobs, but Em's working at FSU and Dad works long hours as a doctor." I got it. "Let me call them back and then we'll get dinner."

I dialed the number, and Steve answered. "Hello."

"Hey, Steve. It's Edward. Edward Cullen."

He laughed. "I know. You're programmed into my phone."

Duh. Of course I was.

"I take it Danny extended our Thanksgiving invitation? I hope you don't think it's too much. We just figured that would be a good time since you have a home game and presumably have the day off as well?"

"He did. And I appreciate it. I'd love to take you up on it, but my wife is going to be in town. I was wondering if I could bring her?"

He laughed again. "Of course! We'd love to have her come over as well. Danny will be beside himself."

"It'll be fun. Can we bring anything?"

"Just yourselves. We'll have more than enough."

I glanced at Sammy, who was texting someone while he waited for me.

"I know Danny wanted to play football. Is it cool if I invite a couple teammates to stop by? They don't have to eat or anything-"

"Are you kidding me? We'd love it. And of course they could eat with us. It would make all our days, not just Danny's. Just let us know the weekend before so we can get enough food."

That was insane. "I'll give you a count, but the food is on us. Text your address, and I'll make sure there's plenty on hand. Some of these guys can eat an entire turkey themselves probably."

"Are you sure? We don't mind."

"Of course I'm sure. I'll talk to a few of the guys and let you know."

"Sounds great! I'm going to tell Danny. He'll be so excited."

"Tell him I can't wait to see him, and to get practicing. I expect him to bring his A game."

"I will! Thanks so much, Edward."

"Thanks for thinking of us. We really appreciate it."

"I'll see you in two weeks."

"Sure thing. Bye, Steve."

I disconnected and turned to Sammy.

"Do you want to go to Danny's house for Thanksgiving? Play some football and hang with the kids?"

"Sure. Sounds good. I was totally going to try to mooch off you and Bella anyway."

I laughed. "I wouldn't let your lonely ass disrupt our first holiday as a married couple."

He threw an arm around me. "Yes, you would. At least until dinner was done."

True. "Then I'd kick you to the curb."

"And I'd get it. But now I get to play football and hang with a cool family. I'm looking forward to it."

"Me, too. Should be fun."

Xoxoxoxox

The pressure in the first half had been insane. I'd swear the Cowboys had more than eleven men on the field. It felt like all my receivers were covered and the line wasn't blocking for shit. I was under pressure or down on just about every play. I clearly wasn't the only one who felt that way, because Coach was losing his shit all over my linemen.

"Do you think you could try to fucking block someone? Turner, you're named perfectly the way you're playing out there. You're like a fucking turnstile, letting anyone pass through if they've got a quarter."

A quarter? Coach was definitely old as shit. Brady looked like he wanted to say something, but he really had no defense for himself.

"And Davis? Do you have a thing for Melton? Because you're holding the fuck out of him on every play! And the refs are noticing! If you want to dance with him, do it on your own time."

Now that was actually pretty fucking funny. I knew better than to smile though, because once Coach got through ripping my line, he turned to me.

"Did you forget how to throw a pass while you were off getting married? Are you still on your honeymoon? Because that's about the only reason I can think of why you threw that pass to Maddux when he was triple-covered."

First of all, he hadn't been triple-covered. Double, yeah, maybe. But he'd just finished telling the line they weren't giving me any time to throw. What did he expect?

"Cat got your tongue, Cullen? Literally? Where is your cat? She could probably play quarterback better than you have the first half. You're all pussies anyway! Protect the damn ball! I don't care if their entire team is in the backfield; you throw the ball away, or you take the sack. You don't throw it right to Claiborne! Is that too fucking hard to understand?"

"No, Coach." I wanted to say more, but what was the point? He was on a roll.

The receivers got their turn, and then he ripped into the defense. You'd think we were down by about three touchdowns, instead of just one.

"Is your ass bruised?" Sammy murmured as we made our way back onto the field. "Because I'm pretty sure Coach did some permanent damage."

"Shake it off. We've got another half to play, and we're damn well going to win." No way were the Cowboys beating me twice in the same season.

Paul and Embry walked up to join us.

"Look, guys, they run the Tampa 2 defense. That means there are soft zones to the left and the right. We're going to exploit that shit, dink and dunk them for the third quarter. Then? We're going to burn them with the long ball once the safety starts playing up. Embry, I'm coming at you on the slant over and over until they lean coverage your way. Then, whichever one of you two burns your corner is getting the ball. Got it?"

"Sounds good to me, man. I'm sick of these fuckers. Skandrick is all up in my ass, and he didn't even buy me dinner." Paul shot me a grin. "A guy likes a little romance first. Guess we need to teach him a lesson."

"Count on it."

I headed over to my quarterbacks' coach and told him what I wanted to do. He was on board, thankfully.

"If you do a bunch of quick releases, they'll back off the pressure a bit and you might get enough time to throw a bomb or two."

"I'll have enough time."

I went over to my line next. "We're gonna start off hot. I'm talking three step drops and the ball will be out of my hands quick. I'm going to get them to back off a little. But once I do, you guys have got to block them. We'll be going long to Sammy and Paul once the safety starts playing in. Give me time!"

"You'll get it," Brady promised.

Colin nodded and the others gave their word as well.

We had the first possession and, after a decent kick return, started at our own thirty-three. I went with a hand-off to Jennings first, just to see what the line could produce. Two yards, that was about it. They had eight in the box and were blitzing a corner about half the time. They were going to pay for that.

I fired off a slant to Embry in the open zone over the middle. He managed nine yards and a first down. I had Paul run the same play from the opposite side for a gain of fifteen. We mixed in some runs but mostly just dinked and dunked our way down the field. I saw an opening when we were in the red zone and threw a fade to my tight end. Touchdown! Right in the corner. He tapped both feet in before falling out of bounds. The game was now officially tied at twenty-four.

Whatever Coach said to the D had given them some fire. They managed a sack and two pressures, causing Dallas to go three and out. The next drive, I started the same way, with little checks and slants to Embry and my backs. We were at midfield when I saw it. The safety was biting. He was playing up. I gave Sammy and Paul the signal before calling for the ball.

I took a seven-step drop this time, keeping my eyes on the line, letting my boys make their move. The line held. I faked the slant again, just to keep the safety on his heels. From the corner of my eye, I could see Sammy come open just as Melton burst through the line. I planted my foot and let the ball fly. Melton got a hand on me, but it was too late.

I watched as the ball sailed right into Sammy's waiting hands. He didn't have to break stride at all. He zipped right into the end zone.

"Hell yeah! That was a beautiful throw!" Colin clapped me on the back. It really was.

Sammy hugged me when I reached the end zone to congratulate him. "Thanks for that throw, man. Easiest catch I've ever had."

"Get used to it," I told him, making him laugh.

"Works for me. The less energy I have to expend out on the field, the more I have to celebrate later."

"Save up, man. We're going to celebrate soon."

And I was right. I threw another long TD to Paul in the fourth, and we won thirty-eight to twenty-seven. Dallas went down. The first of many times, if I had my fucking say in matters. And I did. It was a new season as far as I was concerned, and I was going to turn it around. My professional life was going to be as successful as my personal one. Well, as close as I could get. Nothing could beat my life with Reed Girl. Not even a Super Bowl. But one day soon, I planned on finding out just how close it could come.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N Happy Easter! And fic-wise, Happy Thanksgiving, Part 1. I wanted more so the next chapter will be the dinner itself. I didn't plan for this chapter to fall on an actual holiday, but it worked out that way. Always fun! I hope the Easter Bunny was kind to you all today. I'm not going to be around for much of the day, so review replies will be more delayed than they usually are for me, but they will come, as always.**

**Congrats to the Duke and Wisconsin fans on being the last teams standing in the NCAA Men's finals. I'm gonna have to root for the ACC team now that my champ pick has been defeated, but here's hoping for a good game. Also, happy baseball opening day! My team, the Cardinals, kicks it off tonight on ESPN against their rival Cubs. Should be fun! Go Cards!**

**Thanks to all of you for sharing how you got into the Twilight saga! It was fun to hear how many of you came in because of your daughters. Also interesting was how some of you came in from the movies first. It seems I was the only one who came in from a sports website (I'm sure this shocked none of you, haha). Shout out to Dee who was the girl who directed me this way. It's hard to believe how many words I've produced thanks to falling for E &B. Since this is a Thanksgiving chapter, I'm thankful for her and for all of you for coming along on this ride with me. (No this is not goodbye!)**

**Okay, enough gabbing. I have to get around to head out. You all have a lovely Easter day, or if you're not celebrating, just a lovely day all the same. Take care and I'll see you next week!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 30

I was pretty sure this whole fucking day was shot. Every single one of us was eying the clock or glancing at watches or phones. It didn't take long before Coach threw up his hands in defeat.

"Fuck it! Get out of here. But I expect all of your asses in at eight AM on Friday. So don't eat yourselves into a turkey coma. And the first one of you morons who pukes after we run wind sprints will be hand washing all the jocks. You hear me? That means eat in moderation, for those of you who have taken one too many blows to the head. Now, get out of here and enjoy your holiday."

He didn't have to tell me twice. I was out of the door before he'd finished speaking.

Sammy was nipping at my heels, laughing his ass off. "Where's the fire, Cullen?"

In my pants, if I was being honest. It was like my dick knew that Reed Girl was within ten miles of me. Any longer and I might have started sweating and shaking. She was my drug, and I was jonesing for her.

"I take it Bella's plane got in?"

Yeah, it had. And it sucked that I wasn't there to pick her up. "Yes."

We hit the doors, and I pretty much broke into a jog toward my car. It didn't matter that we'd practiced our asses off. I had all the energy in the world for my girl.

A hand clapped down on my shoulder before I opened my car door. I turned, scowling and ready to rip off somebody's head.

Sammy held up his hands. "Dude! Don't kill me. I just wanted to make sure we're still on for tomorrow. You and Bella will come up for air by then, right?"

I shook my head, trying to clear it. "Yes. I told them we'd come over around noon. Gives us time to play some and watch the Lions game before we eat."

"Okay. I'll let Brady and Colin know. See you there. And don't forget. I don't think they'd be thrilled if everybody but their favorite player shows up."

I had to laugh. Chelsea would probably throw them all out. I'd gain entrance only because I had her Eli jersey.

"We'll be there. Now, no offense, but someone way prettier than you are is waiting for me at home."

He sniffed. "I do take offense, actually. I'm quite pretty. You could do worse."

"Yes, I could." That made him grin. "But I can also do a hell of a lot better."

"Ass." He punched my left shoulder. "Go. Give your girl a kiss for me."

"Fuck, no. I'll give her kisses from me. That's what she wants."

"Only because she doesn't know what she's missing." He danced out of my reach, laughing. "I'll give it to her myself, tomorrow."

"Try it and the stuffing won't the only thing up the turkey's ass."

He chuckled and threw me a wave. "You'd have to catch me first. Now, what are you still doing here talking to me?"

Damn right. I flipped him off and got into my car. I gunned my engine at him as I drove past, making him laugh again.

I didn't break the land speed record getting home, but I probably came damn close. And maybe I went a little nuts in the elevator, which seemed to be ninety times slower than usual. Why the fuck did we have to buy a penthouse? I should have gotten something on the first floor. It would be faster. And cheaper. Not that I gave a shit about that, but the faster thing would be perfect right about now.

I ran out of the elevator and was inside our place in about ten seconds flat. Thank fuck she'd left the door unlocked.

"Baby? I'm home."

"In here," she called.

I was surprised she wasn't in the living room or our bedroom, but I followed her voice into the guest room. I might have ignored Rainbow's imperious demand that I pick her up. I'd probably pay for that shit later, but I had to get to my wife.

She had her back to me, looking into the room. I slipped my arms around her from behind and kissed her neck.

"What are you doing in here?"

She turned her head and brushed her lips over mine. "Just looking."

"Well, I can think of better things to look at." I nipped her earlobe and made her sigh and melt into me.

Reed Girl wiggled in my arms until she was facing me, putting her arms around my neck. "There. That's better."

I grinned at her. "That's a much better view."

She tilted her head. "You or me? Wait, don't answer that."

I had better things to do than answer because her lips met mine for real, in a nice, long kiss. That was more fucking like it. I steered her toward the guest bed.

Reed Girl kept going when the backs of her knees hit the mattress, pulling me down on top of her without breaking our kiss. I managed to get my hands down to catch myself so I wouldn't smash her into the bed.

We kissed for a while, and even though one very loud part of me was screaming to be inside her, I wasn't in a rush. It just felt fucking amazing to have her with me again. Two weeks and two days was way too fucking long.

We broke apart, and she smiled up at me, running her fingers through my hair. She was so fucking beautiful. "Hello, husband."

I couldn't stop the smile if I wanted to. "Hello, wife. I missed you."

"I missed you, too. It feels good to be home."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Home, huh? I really like the sound of that. It's about time this became your home."

Her hands slipped down to my back and she pulled me all the way against her. "Home is wherever you are."

Fuck. I loved that. And it was so true. This place was great, but it didn't feel completely right without her here.

"Same goes, baby." I kissed her again. "What was it you were looking at when I came in, anyway?"

"The room space. It'll be the baby's room, right? I was just trying to imagine where we'd put the crib."

Huh. I hadn't thought about any of that. Should I have? We still had like five and a half months ago. It seemed a little early to think about decorating to me. But what did I know? Perhaps Reed Girl was already nesting. The book mentioned that. I'd need to go look at that chapter again.

"We have plenty of time to figure all that out."

She smiled. "Not as much time as you think. I imagine time is going to fly once I'm actually up here."

She was probably right. It sure as fuck was crawling right now. Every day felt like a week or so.

"Let's just get you up here first, and then we can go to town on decorating. Whatever you want." I'd promise her the world if it would keep that smile on her face.

"You might regret saying that."

"I'll never regret any promise I make you."

Her eyes looked suspiciously shiny as she tightened her hold on me. "Oh, Edward. You do, occasionally, say the most wonderful things to me."

I started to respond, but her lips found mine before I could. And then whatever I was going to say was lost.

We took our time undressing one another, touching and tasting. It was funny, the need I'd felt to rush home to her, the fucking craving I'd had to be inside her was actually sated just from having her in my arms. Just being with her. And when I finally entered her, it felt incredible. And right.

Much later, we made it into our own bedroom, with a box of pizza and a very annoyed cat between us.

"My jeans are feeling tighter."

I glanced at her. She wasn't wearing jeans. She was wearing nothing but one of my shirts. It was sexy as hell.

"Baby, I took those off you earlier."

She giggled. "Not now. I mean, in general. I'm getting bigger. I should start showing soon."

She actually sounded excited about that, which was good I guess. "Looking forward to it, Reed Girl?"

Bella smirked as she reached for another slice. Maybe I should have ordered something healthier. I'd wanted quick and easy, so we could eat it in bed, toss it aside, and then touch each other again. Yes, even food was a cockblock right now.

"Well, yeah, I mean, I'm looking forward to actually seeing proof that there's a baby inside me, beyond the bigger breasts."

"Hey, don't discount the bigger breasts. Those are an awesome sign of pregnancy." My absolute favorite. I reached over and cupped the left one because it was closest.

She laughed and batted my hand away. "Yes, I know that you're a fan. Pervert."

"You love me that way."

"True. But I am going to have to go shopping soon. Maybe I'll hit the Black Friday sales while you're at practice. I don't see the point in buying new things down in Florida when I'll be moving in two weeks."

Two weeks. I couldn't fucking wait. "That makes sense. It'll give you something to do while I'm gone."

"Yeah." She made a face. "It'll be weird shopping without Rose and Alice, though."

I finished the rest of my slice and tossed the empty box off the bed. I had to admit, my girl had a healthier appetite these days. We usually didn't finish off a large between the two of us. That was okay. We'd worked up an appetite and we'd work off what we'd eaten all night long.

I put my arm around her, and she snuggled into my side. Rainbow smacked my leg with her tail, even though I'd made sure not to disturb her when I scooted over. She was still pissed I'd ignored her when I got home.

"I can ask JPP if his wife has any plans for Friday." Too many of my teammates were single. I was a little worried that she'd be lonely without her girls up here.

She shook her head. "Nah, I'll be okay. It might be nice not to have anybody's voice but my own weighing in on what I buy."

"You'll meet some people when you move up here," I assured her. She needed someone to hang out with other than my teammates. They were cool and all, but no.

"I know. I'm not worried about it. I'll likely meet people through the foundation work, and also once the baby comes along, I plan on doing those Mommy and Me classes, plus there'll be the park. It's going to be different from what I'm used to, but I am actually looking forward to it."

Mommy and Me? Did I want to know? No, probably not. "Am I going to have to take classes?"

She laughed. "Not if you don't want to."

Rainbow decided to forgive us, or maybe just her, because she climbed onto Reed Girl's lap and curled up, watching me with narrowed golden eyes.

"Don't be a bitch, Rainbow. I see you every day. You can't blame me for wanting to see my wife first." Rude cat. I hated when she was mad at me. And I hated that I hated that. Why should I give a shit?

"Jasper says we should take a parenting class, like where you learn how to diaper and shit." It seemed to me that that stuff was pretty self-explanatory, but what did I know? A bunch of chicks in my high school had to tote around dolls for like a month for some class of theirs. Did Reed Girl? That should be enough training, right?

"I know how to change a diaper." Thank fuck. "But you should definitely learn because I'm not going to be the only diaper changer in this house."

Fuck. "The nanny-"

"Is not going to be living here unless we take Rainbow's room slash office away."

Shit. Literally. I was going to have to deal with shit. Rainbow gave me a look that definitely told me that giving up her special room was not an option. I'd figured that anyway. The fastest way to get her to turn on the kid was to let it usurp all her places.

"Diapers, huh?"

"Diapers and bottles and burping and spitting up, oh my!" She grinned at me. "You haven't read that part of the book yet, huh?"

No. I was all about the pre-baby stuff. Post baby was something I wasn't ready to wrap my head around yet. I was looking forward to meeting him and everything, but not the gross stuff.

"Maybe our son will be a genius and he'll come out potty trained."

She giggled. "You can hold on to that futile hope if you want to, but we both know it's not happening."

"I don't know, baby. The kid's a Cullen and a Swan. He couldn't do better in the gene pool if he tried." I fucking loved making her laugh. Yes, I knew I was being ridiculous, but it was fun to think about.

I stroked Rainbow for a few seconds before putting my hand on Reed Girl's belly. "He's going to be awesome."

"Yes, he _or she_ is."

"We'll find out in a few weeks."

She put her hands on top of mine.

"Then we can start talking names and nurseries."

It should have freaked me out. A few weeks ago, it would have. But it sounded really good. Well, maybe not the decorating part. That wasn't really my thing. But giving our baby a name? Yeah, I looked forward to that.

"Sounds good to me, baby."

"Me, too." She picked Rainbow off her lap and put her on the floor. "Now, how about we relive how we got into this position?"

Oh, yeah. "I'm all for remembering the good times, Reed Girl. And the good positions."

She laughed as she straddled me. My hands automatically slid under her shirt, stroking soft, warm skin.

"Let the good times roll, Cullen."

She was perfect, my wife. Just perfect for me. I had a lot to be thankful for. It was the right time of year for it, after all.

Xoxoxoxoxox

I pulled up outside of the gray two-story house and turned to Reed Girl.

"Are you ready? This isn't going to make you cry, is it?" Normally, I'd never have to ask such a question, but she'd randomly cried this morning at some commercial where a puppy got separated from its owner. I could only be thankful that one of those SPCA commercials with all the abused and homeless animals didn't come on. She'd never have stopped crying. Hormones sucked. Well, the crying ones did. The sex ones could stay forever as far as I was concerned.

"Of course I'm not going to cry." She smacked my arm lightly. "Unless there's no pumpkin pie. That might move me to tears."

I laughed. "You wouldn't be alone, baby. It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie. And we're covered there." I'd had a shitton of pies sent over from some fancy bakery. I couldn't wait to tear into them.

I touched her cheek. "Seriously, though. I almost cried when I met Danny, so I know it might get to you."

She leaned into my palm. "I know. And it probably will. But I'm not going to make him feel uncomfortable. That's the last thing I'd ever do. I can keep it in, I promise."

"Okay. Let's go."

I went around and let her out of the car before I grabbed the Eli jersey, the bottles of champagne and sparkling cider, and the flowers from the back. We carried everything up to the door, and I rang the bell before slipping my free arm around Reed Girl's waist.

"I got it!"

I grinned when I heard Danny's excited voice, followed by pounding footsteps. He may have cancer, but he still acted like the nine-year-old that he was.

He yanked open the door. The first thing that I saw was the bright grin on his face. The second thing was that he was wearing my jersey.

"Edward! Hi!"

"Hi, bud! You look like you're ready to play."

"I am! Some of my friends are coming over. Dad said we could go down to the school, if you want? It has more space. Nobody can believe you're actually coming to see me."

"Well, of course I came over. I promised, didn't I? Thank you for having us. This is my wife, Bella. Bella, this is Danny."

I felt her take a deep breath under my hand. She was smiling just as big as he was, though. Her eyes were a little shiny, but no tears, thank fuck.

"Danny, I'm so excited to meet you! Edward's told me all about you. I hear you've got a pretty good arm."

"Hi," he said, looking a little bashful. "Did he really talk about me? He thinks I'm good?"

My girl nodded. "He sure does. He thinks you have what it takes to make it. And I can tell you, Edward doesn't give out compliments like that to just anyone. He's pretty picky."

"Hey! I just tell it like it is!"

Both of them grinned at me.

"I've been practicing! I wanted to be ready to play today."

"Danny, you're supposed to invite them in," a sassy little voice announced. It was just a moment later when Chelsea appeared, scowl fixed in place.

"Oh, yeah! Please, come in." He held the door open and gestured inside, like he'd been practicing. It was funny as hell.

"You have to offer to take their coats, dummy."

"I was gonna! I forgot. And don't call me names."

They glared at each other mutinously. I recognized those looks. Emmett and I had given them to one another countless times growing up.

"We really appreciate the hospitality." Bella stepped inside. "Maybe you could take these flowers in to your mom for me? We can't get our coats off with all these goodies in our hands, so you didn't forget anything, Danny."

Reed Girl handed over the flowers. "It's nice to meet you, Chelsea. I'm Edward's wife, Bella."

"Hi. You're pretty," Chelsea told her.

"Thank you. So are you."

My wife was a fucking natural. She'd diffused the argument, gotten a compliment from Chelsea, and made Danny flush with pleasure by assuring him that he hadn't fucked up. She was going to be an awesome mother.

"So, you're Edward's wife? Why didn't you marry Eli instead? He's better."

"Chelsea! We talked about this." Joyce stepped into the hallway, scowling at her daughter. "I'm sorry. She's got a mind of her own. I'm Joyce Prentice. It's so nice to meet you."

Reed Girl just laughed. "I'm Bella. And you have nothing to apologize for. It's nice to meet someone who'll put him in his place now and then. I can only do so much."

"A guy could get a complex from the two of you."

I grinned when Reed Girl mouthed, _As if._

"It's a good thing you're here to defend me, Danny. These women are ganging up on me."

"I'll defend you!" He pumped a fist in the air.

Joyce laughed and reached for the wine. "Thank you so much for coming. You didn't have to bring anything! You've already sent over so much."

"It was the least we could do, with you offering to feed a few football players. They'd have eaten you out of house and home. Trust me," I assured her.

"Is there anything I can help with?" Reed Girl asked.

"Oh, no, everything is mostly handled. But please, come in. Danny, take their coats."

We handed them over and followed Joyce into the family room. Once we got farther into the house, the awesome smell hit.

"God, it smells good in here."

Joyce laughed at my declaration. "I'm so glad you think so. Steve will be in shortly. He's out back frying a turkey of all things. Please, take a seat."

"Really? I've always wanted to try fried turkey." I loved fried shit, even if I didn't let myself eat it often.

Reed Girl sat on the couch and smoothed her black dress over her knees. I sank down next to her.

"So has Steve. You gave him the perfect excuse." Joyce smiled at me. "You sent over more than I could possibly cook in the oven, so he decided it was time to try a fryer. He's having a fine time out there. I made him take a fire extinguisher with him." She chuckled. "And I have one stationed by the sliding glass door, just in case."

"Better safe than sorry." Reed Girl smiled. "Thank you so much for having us over. I just flew in yesterday, and the thought of putting together a big meal for the two of us didn't appeal."

"We're thrilled you came. Danny's talked about nothing else these past few weeks." Her smile fell a little. "It's been good for him."

"How's he-" I broke off when Danny came into the room, already with a football in his hand.

"When are the guys getting here?" he asked, coming to a stop in front of me.

"Pretty soon. Anxious, are we?" The kid was practically vibrating with excitement. It made me grin.

Danny nodded. "Yeah, my neighbor, Mark, said you guys weren't coming. And that I was a liar. But I'm not."

"Mark's a jerk." Chelsea came into the room, scowling again. "I'm going to kick him again."

Joyce sighed and smoothed a hand over her daughter's head. Some of her hair was growing back. I could see that it was blondish like her mother's.

"Chels, we've talked about kicking. And hitting."

"But Mark makes fun of Danny. He needs kicking."

I couldn't help but agree. Who the fuck was this little shit, Mark? He needed a talking to. Or an ass kicking. Too bad I couldn't hit a kid. Too bad my son wasn't born yet. He could totally do it for me.

"Violence is not the answer. If Mark is mean, Danny can handle it. Or he can tell me about it."

Danny was looking at the floor, his face red. Fuck. He was embarrassed, and I couldn't blame him. "I'm sure Danny is smart enough not to let some moron's words hurt him."

He looked up at my words.

"You're stronger than anyone I know, kid. A small-minded bully can't take that away from you."

Reed Girl made a little gasping noise and scooted closer to me on the couch. I put my arm around her.

Danny grinned at me. "You think I'm strong like you?"

"Stronger," I assured him. "But it's cool that you have a sister who's ready to kick a-butt for you. My brother used to do that for me, too. He gave me a hard time, but he didn't let anyone else do it." I shot Chelsea a smile. "He went in swinging, too."

"Yeah, she's pretty cool." Danny smiled at his sister and got an answering smile back. They really did look a lot alike.

"And since she's cool, I should probably give her a present." I handed her the Eli jersey. She let out a squeal of delight. "See? I promised I'd get it for you."

"Thank you! Did he talk about me?"

"He said he enjoyed talking to you and that you had good taste in favorite players."

"I do." She smiled at my wife. "You should have married Eli."

"Chelsea!" Her mom shook her head in exasperation.

Reed Girl giggled. "I'm pretty sure he's already married. But if that ever changes, I'll make a play for him."

"Hey!" I tickled her side, and she squirmed into me.

"I'm just kidding!"

I stopped tickling.

"Maybe." She was laughing and her eyes were sparkling. She was fucking gorgeous.

"You'd better be."

"Newlyweds." Joyce smiled at us. "You two are so cute together."

"We have our moments." Reed Girl smiled at me. "Are you sure I can't help with anything, Joyce?"

"Well, we could get to work on the green bean casserole. Danny, do you want to show Edward your room?"

"Yeah! Come on, Edward." He tugged at my hand.

I got up and helped Reed Girl to her feet. "Have fun in the kitchen, baby."

"Don't get used to it, Cullen." She kissed my cheek and followed Joyce from the room.

Danny tugged me toward the stairs. "You're going to love my room! It's all Giants and Florida State!"

His room was pretty cool. The walls were Giant blue, and he had hung the FSU pennants and had my jersey framed on his wall.

"This is a great room, Danny." He had toys on a shelf, a messy desk, clothes bursting out of his closet. A total little boy's room. One day, my kid would have a room a lot like this. I was kind of excited about it. Maybe we'd paint his garnet and gold.

"Thanks. Maybe we could play some video games while we wait."

No sooner had he said that than the doorbell rang. "That's them."

"Yes! Let's go!" He grabbed up his ball and my hand, and we hurried out of the room.

Chelsea was giving my teammates the eye when we got downstairs. "Who do you think is the better quarterback? Edward or Eli? You played with Eli, right?"

She was wearing her jersey. Sammy grinned at me from the doorway.

"Well, I should say the quarterback I'm playing for now, but since you're wearing an Eli jersey, and since I really want to eat whatever smells so delicious, I'm going to have to go with Eli."

Ass. I glanced at Danny to make sure he wasn't looking when I flipped him off. He roared with laughter.

"What's the matter, Cullen? Did we finally find the one female who you can't charm?" Brady chuckled. "I like Eli, too. He's a great guy. We're friends."

"Whatever. You're going to pay for that on the field. Call your friends, Danny. Let's get a move on."

He scampered off to call his buds, and I headed outside with my boys. We were chatting it up for a few when I heard someone calling my name.

"Oh my God. You're Edward Cullen. You're actually here."

I glanced over as a kid came running down the driveway next door.

"Are you Mark?" I asked, an edge in my voice.

"Yeah! How did you know?"

"Lucky guess." I turned to the open doorway of Danny's house. "Hey, Danny, bring your sister. We could use a really good kicker."

I saw the kid wince out of the corner of my eye. Good. Fucker.

"Is there any reason you're glaring at a little kid?" Sammy asked me quietly.

"He picks on Danny. I can't hit him, so…"

Sammy gave the kid the stink eye as well. "Got it. Is he playing with us? I can knock him into the mud or something. Accidentally, of course."

I snickered. You could always count on Sammy. "Nah, we'd probably get sued or something. He can only play with us if he's not a dick to Danny."

Danny came running out. "They'll meet us there! I can't wait to…oh. Hi, Mark."

"Hi. Where are you guys going?"

"To the school to play some football."

"Wow! Can I come?"

Danny glanced at me. "It's up to you, man," I told him. Let him make the call.

"Sure, I guess."

We started to head toward the school, Danny chattering away to all of us. Before we got too far, Chelsea came running up.

"What are _you_ doing here?" she demanded of Mark. I fucking loved that kid. She didn't have a filter. She reminded me of me.

"Danny said I could come. What are you doing out? Aren't you grounded?"

"For kicking you? No way. Mom gave me extra dessert."

Sammy and I busted up laughing. Colin and Brady had no idea what the fuck was going on, but they smiled anyway.

"Listen, Baldy. The only reason you got away with that is I'm not allowed to hit girls."

I stopped and looked at the kid. "What did you call her?"

"Baldy," he replied. "She doesn't have any hair."

Fuck that noise. This kid wasn't getting the honor of playing football with Danny. All of my teammates were openly glaring at the kid now.

"First of all, she has hair. She's a beautiful girl who loves and supports her brother, which makes her a badass." Maybe I shouldn't have said ass in front of kids, but I didn't give a fuck. "Second of all, anybody who makes fun of a person because they're different, because they're sick, is a jerk. My friend Danny is too classy to call a jerk a jerk, but I'm not. Run along, kid. We don't play with bullies."

Mark gaped at me for a few seconds before turning around and running in the other direction.

"Damn, Cullen. You made that kid shit himself."

I shot Colin a look and cut my eyes to the two kids who were standing there staring at me.

"Oh, shit. I mean, sorry."

Dumbass. "So, do we have a game to get to, or what?"

"Yeah! Thanks, Edward." Danny beamed up at me.

"Anytime, kid." I took off his hat and patted the top of his head. "Never let anyone make you feel less than you are."

"I won't." He started to put the cap back on his head but then tossed it aside. "Let's go play football."

We fell into step behind him. I felt something brush my hand and looked down to see Chelsea. She took my hand in hers.

"Hey, Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe you could sign one of your jerseys for me?"

Damned if I didn't feel like I'd just won a huge fucking battle. "I can do that."

"Cool." She kept my hand in hers.

"Guess I was wrong. There are no females he can't charm," Brady said, making everybody laugh.

Maybe I could. But the ones who were a challenge, like Chelsea and my Reed Girl, were worth the extra effort. I smiled at the little girl who smiled back up at me. Totally worth it.


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N Happy Drop Everything & Read Day! No lie, that's one of today's special days, so of course I had to choose it, for obvious reasons. Advice I'd definitely like to take :) And if you're here, you're taking it as well, so yay!**

**In sports news, the Masters wraps today. Not much drama in who will win, without some kind of collapse, but there's some major players on the board which is always good. I rarely watch golf, but I might give it a look for a few today (yes, it's boring to watch for long, I agree). And before I forget, congrats to my Dukies! ACC wins another one. I can't complain about that. My team will never contend in basketball, so I'm all good with someone from the conference winning. I am sorry to my future husband, JJ Watt, that his alma mater went down. But since he was at the game with a girl, well, you get what's coming to you. hehe Let me have my delusions, ladies. It is my happy place!**

**Thanksgiving part deux lies ahead. Made me a little teary at times, so you know, keep that in mind, even though I'm sappy like that! You'll be happy to know that I just wrote the chapter where the baby's sex is revealed, so we're nearly there (33, for those dying to know). Much fun ahead! And since it's fictional Thanksgiving, know that I'm thankful for all of you! Take care and I'll see you next week :)**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 31

"That was awesome! We won!" Danny's eyes were sparkling as he grinned up at me. I was glad he was happy, but he was so damn pale. And even though he hadn't said a word, I could tell he was tired.

"Well, of course we won, kid. You and me on the same team? They didn't stand a chance." I patted his back. "It was probably unfair, putting the two best players together, but that's football. It's all about managing the salary cap."

His giggles broke off when he started coughing. Fuck. It was cold out, and we needed to get him back inside. I crouched down in front of him.

"Get on, kid. The MVP always gets carried around the field after the game."

"I'm the MVP?" he asked, sounding completely shocked.

"Who else would it be? You scored the game winning touchdown."

"Yeah, but you helped me."

"That's what a teammate does, Danny." Sammy held out his hand for a high five. "You kicked our butts! Now get on Edward's back. Make him do some actual work for once."

He helped Danny get onto my back. The smile was still on his face, but I saw the concern in his eyes when I stood back up. Yeah. It was fucked up that the kid was wiped out after a quick football game. He weighed so little. I felt like his sister had about twenty pounds on him.

"For real. You quarterback types get all the glory while we do all the hard stuff." Colin grinned at Danny. "You're smart to play that position, Danny. All the money, all the glory, none of the pain."

I laughed when I saw him limping. "You take on three-hundred-pound defensive ends and you can't even handle a sixty-pound girl?"

"Hey! She plays dirty! She's worse than Suh."

Chelsea put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "You're way bigger than me. I had to take you down."

"By kicking me in the shin? Got news for you, kid… That would be a fifteen-yard personal foul penalty and you'd probably get ejected if this was a real game."

"But it wasn't and I didn't and we won. So there." She stuck her tongue out at him and scampered away when he attempted to grab at her.

"Be thankful she didn't go for the balls, man," I murmured. "That's how she took out that Mark kid."

"See? Dirty player." But he grinned. "I like her style."

"Me, too. Let's get out of here. It's time to eat." And get Danny out of the winter air. It was cold as shit, and winter was only just starting.

"You just said the magic words." Brady jogged past me, waving to the kids who had come to play with us.

There'd been more than expected, because friends had called friends and whatnot. But it had been a pretty awesome time. We'd all signed some autographs on whatever the kids offered, from hats to footballs. We said our good-byes and headed back to the house. I carried Danny the whole way, and Sammy gave Chelsea her own piggyback ride since she won, too.

"Well, it looks like somebody had fun!" Joyce met us at the door, smiling as we carried her kids into the house.

I bent down and let Danny slide off me. He threw his arms around his mother. "We won, Mom! I was the MVP because I scored the winning touchdown!"

"That's great, baby! Of course you were the MVP." She helped him out of his jacket and ran her fingers over his cheeks. "I'm so proud of you."

"All the guys were so excited! And Tommy got a touchdown, and Jason did. And Chelsea tackled Colin."

"If that's what you call tackling," Colin muttered. I cuffed his back and made him laugh. "Coach is gonna have my ass if he sees that bruise."

"Don't worry. I'll tell him you got taken down by a nine-year-old girl. He won't mind."

Joyce laughed. "Somehow I imagine there's more to that story."

"He's big, Mom." Chelsea handed over her coat and scarf. "I did what I had to do, and we won."

"Did she kick you?" Joyce turned to her daughter. "Chelsea! We've talked about this."

"Mom, you have to do whatever you have to do to win. Even if you have to be sneaky."

"She'd make a hell of a Patriot," Sammy whispered.

I stifled my laugh.

"She provided the perfect lane for Danny to run through. They make a good team," I told Joyce.

"They do." She smiled down at her children. "Now, go clean up. It's nearly time for turkey."

They walked off, hand in hand, identical smiles on their faces.

"Thank you for taking them out to play. It meant so much to both of them." She looked teary for a moment, but she blinked a few times. "Let me show you to the kitchen so you guys can wash up as well."

We went in and found Bella laughing as she chatted with Steve. I washed up and shook his hand.

"Hey! So you got to come inside, huh?"

He laughed. "Yeah, but only after the oil was almost completely cool. I'm glad it's getting cold out, or I'd still be out there. How are you? Thanks for coming."

I slipped my arms around my wife. "I'm great. Thanks for having us. What are you up to, baby?"

"Mashing potatoes." She turned off the mixer and used the spoon to get some potato off the beaters. Before I could say a word, she held the spoon out to me and let me lick it off.

"Yum. Tastes great, Reed Girl."

Steve chuckled. "She was just telling me how you came to give her that nickname."

"Really?" I grinned down at my girl. "Did you tell him the real version or the PG one?"

"PG, of course. We don't know each other that well yet." She pushed the bowl aside and turned around to hug me. "How was the game?"

"It was great. Danny, Chelsea, and I were on the winning team, of course."

She grinned. "Of course you were."

I gave Steve a play-by-play of the game as we carried some of the food out to the table. With all of us helping, we were seated in no time.

"Instead of saying a traditional grace, we usually all take a turn to tell what we're thankful for." Joyce smiled. "Danny, would you like to start?"

"Okay." He folded his hands together. "I'm thankful for my parents and my sister. I'm thankful that I met Edward and that his teammates are here today. And I'm thankful that I got to play football and be the MVP."

Reed Girl slipped her hand onto my leg and gave me a slight squeeze. I put my hand on top of hers.

"I'm thankful for my family and my brother. And I'm thankful to Edward for bringing my Eli jersey and for not letting Mark play with us. Oh, and I'm thankful I won."

"Who's Mark, and why didn't you let him play with you?" Bella murmured softly.

Shit. I hoped I wasn't going to be in trouble for that one. "A jackass who called Chelsea Baldy and gives Danny a hard time."

"Oh, well, fuck him, then."

It took everything I had in me not to either burst out laughing or give her a highly inappropriate kiss at the dinner table. She was so fucking sexy when she cussed. That Mark kid was lucky she hadn't been around when he called Chelsea names.

"I'm thankful that you invited us into your home today. I'm thankful for my mom, who worked hard to provide for me, and for my teammates and friends, who have also become my family." Sammy smiled at us.

"I'm thankful for this awesome food and for getting to spend the holiday with a really great family. Thanks for taking us in and feeding us. I know it's not an easy task." Brady's dimples flashed. "Colin will probably eat a whole turkey himself."

"Moron." Colin cleared his throat. "I'm thankful for my teammates, even if they're pains more than half the time. And I'm thankful that you invited me here. Also, I'm thankful I have strong shins."

Chelsea smiled angelically at him from across the table. It was fucking hilarious. She'd probably try to kick his other shin before the day was over.

Reed Girl sat up. "I'm thankful that I got to spend this holiday with my husband, who I'm thankful for every single day. I'm so happy that Edward has found friends and family so far away from home. It makes it easier when we're apart to know that he has people like you with him. I'm thankful for all of you and for the unexpected blessing that will be joining us in six months."

I lifted her hand to my lips and gave it a light kiss. My turn. Normally I hated shit like this, but this year, here, it felt right to say it. "I could pretty much just echo what Bella said. I'm so thankful that she went out of her way to meet me and that she didn't run away once she got to know me."

"More like you didn't run away," she said, making everyone laugh.

"That's true. I'm thankful that she got under my skin and that I couldn't help but fall for her. I'm grateful for my family, both on and off the field, here and in Florida. I'm thankful that I have such great friends in my life, those who I trust to take care of my wife when I can't. I, too, am excited about unexpected blessings." I put my hand over Reed Girl's stomach. "I'm thankful for my new friend, Danny, and I'm honored to have been included in your lives and at your table."

Reed Girl sniffled next to me, and I handed her my napkin. She laughed softly as she dabbed at her eyes.

"I'm not thankful for hormones."

That made everybody laugh, including my Bella. The kids were the only ones who didn't get it. Shit. I probably shouldn't have said that. What if they started asking how babies were made? When did kids do that? One day my kid would…fuck that noise. Reed Girl got to answer that question. I'd buy him condoms when he turned fifteen. That would be my contribution.

"We're thankful for our two beautiful children." Joyce smiled through her tears. "And that all of you could be with us today. You can't possibly know…" Her voice faded out.

"How much it means to Danny, and all of us, to have you here," Steve finished for her. "Thank you for making us part of your lives."

I didn't know if I'd be able to eat past the lump in my throat. But when my girl piled a mound of the mashed potatoes that she'd made onto my plate, I knew I had to. It didn't take long for everybody to dig in, and of course my teammates had seconds and thirds. Well, so did I. And much to my surprise, so did Reed Girl.

"So good," she moaned next to me.

I raised an eyebrow at her.

"What? I'm eating for two, and the baby likes it."

Steve laughed. "Joyce used to say that since she was eating for three, she needed three times as much as she used to. I didn't argue with her."

"You knew better." Joyce grinned at me. "Never argue with a pregnant woman."

"Yeah." Reed Girl brandished her butter knife at me. "Or get between her and food, especially on Thanksgiving."

"I wouldn't think of it." I gave her the little bit of turkey I had left on my plate. "I just wanted to make sure she'd still have room for pie later."

"There's always room for pumpkin pie," she informed me before popping my last bite of turkey into her mouth. It was fascinating. And kind of hot, if I was being honest. I had no idea why I should find that sexy, but I did. Then again, I'd always loved that she wasn't one of those salad-eating, I'm-so-fat, sort of girls. I hated that type.

"Darn right!" Brady echoed. "I may not be pregnant, but I have to agree."

"You look more pregnant than anyone here, big guy." Sammy patted Brady's stomach.

"I'm a growing boy. Right, Danny?"

Danny nodded. I noticed that he hadn't eaten that much. Was that normal? I was really getting worried. Hopefully we hadn't overdone it on the field.

"You're just fat," Chelsea said, jarring me out of my thoughts.

"Chelsea! That's not nice. Apologize right now," her mother scolded her.

"But you said it's not nice to lie. And he's lying. He's not growing still."

"Chels, I really don't want to have to send you to your room on Thanksgiving, but I will if you don't say you're sorry."

"Fine. Sorry you lied and that I called you fat, even if that's what you are." Her little face was positively mutinous. It was fucking hilarious.

I couldn't help it. The laugh came out of me before I could stop myself. Fortunately, Brady joined in, along with Reed Girl and the rest of my teammates.

I finally managed to speak after I got all the laughs out. "I'm sorry. She's just…I mean, she says whatever she thinks. It's funny."

"What he means to say is that she's just like him. Edward tends to speak first and then think about the consequences later." Reed Girl smiled fondly at me.

"Not true. I don't usually think about the consequences at all, unless I f…foul up with you." I didn't give a shit if I offended other people. Only her.

"God help me if the baby takes after him." Reed Girl grinned to show that she didn't mean it. Of course it would be awesome if our kid was just like me.

"She keeps us on our toes, for sure." Joyce gave Chelsea _the look_ again. I really needed to start practicing that thing for my kid. If he did take after me, he'd need it frequently.

"She's just calling it like she sees it, cutting through the bull. You have to respect that." I firmly believed that. I hoped my kid called people out like she did. I might have to kick an ass or two because of it, but it would totally be worth it.

"Yes, well, there's a time and a place, however." Joyce kept looking at her daughter.

"Okay, I'm sorry for real this time." She gave Brady a sunny smile that of course he returned.

"It's okay, kid. I've been called a lot worse. And I do like to eat. There's lots of muscle underneath the layer of fat. Just gives me extra protection out on the field."

"So I can eat more if I play football?" Chelsea asked, sounding quite excited about it.

"Heck yeah! You need to eat more, to have the fuel to get you through a game," Colin assured her.

"Cool. I'm gonna be a football player when I grow up, then." She took more mashed potatoes just to emphasize her point.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Her mother took the bowl away. "In the meantime, why don't you all head into the living room? I know you probably want to watch some football."

Hell, yeah. Of course, before I could make a move, my girl grabbed my arm. "We'll help you clean up, first."

Reed Girl gave me _the look_ before I could protest. Damn. She already had it down. Maybe girls were just born knowing how to do that shit. Or maybe they learned on husbands before children. No, they probably learned it during sex ed. That must be it.

We carried the countless dishes into the kitchen and helped with clean up until the kitchen got too crowded and they shooed us away. We hit the living room, and Danny sat next to me on the couch as we watched the end of the Lions game. I put an arm around him, and he leaned against my side. It wasn't too long before he was sound asleep.

Reed Girl smiled when she came into the room and saw us. She sat on my other side and lightly touched Danny's cheek. I saw a tear course down hers and reached up to wipe it away.

"Are you okay?" I asked softly, not wanting to set her off any further.

"Yeah. It's just a beautiful sight. One day, not too long from now, it'll be our child sleeping on you."

I had to admit, it was a nice image. She rested her head on my shoulder, and we settled in to watch the game.

Danny wasn't the only one to fall asleep. Chelsea was out like a light not long after, and Colin totally dozed off and snored loud as shit.

I looked away from the TV when I heard the click of a camera. Joyce was standing in the doorway taking pictures of Danny and me.

"I couldn't resist," she said, bringing a blanket over and putting it on her son.

"Is he…he looks…" I didn't know how to say what I wanted to say, but she smiled sadly.

"We're going in for more testing this week. It doesn't look good. He's probably got more chemo ahead."

More? How in the hell could the poor kid take more? He was so little, so frail. It just sucked ass.

"Do they know?" How did you tell your kid that they had to go back to the hospital and that things weren't looking good?

"They know. He didn't want us to say anything, because he wanted to enjoy the day." Fuck. She must have seen the look on my face, because she shook her head quickly. "Don't feel bad. This is what he wanted. You gave him a fabulous day. One he'll never forget. One none of us will ever forget."

She put another blanket over her sleeping daughter. "Chelsea told me what happened with Mark. I should probably scold you for making the neighbor cry, but I can't find it in me. She was impressed, and as you can tell, it takes a lot to impress my Chels."

Crap. I felt Bella's eyes on me, questioning. "I didn't make him cry, per se. I just told him bullies weren't allowed to play with us."

"And you told him my daughter was beautiful and, what was it? Kickass?"

Crap. She'd ratted me out. I squirmed under Joyce's watchful gaze.

"I didn't mean to. It just came out. No filter, remember?"

She laughed. "I'm not lecturing you. I'm thanking you. She _is_ kickass." She ran her hands over the stubbly hair that was trying to grow back on Chelsea's head. "Sometimes I worry, you know, that I don't give her enough attention, because she's healthy and he's not. But she never complains. And she should know that she kicks ass. So, thank you for telling her. I think she'll believe it coming from you."

"Well." I cleared my throat. "Well, then, I'm glad I sent him home. He was a little asshole anyway."

Reed Girl smacked me lightly as everybody laughed.

"Yes, he is." Joyce's blue eyes sparkled. "Now, how about some pie?"

Xoxoxoxox

We left a few hours later. The kids had woken up for pie, and we'd played Candyland and Sorry! a couple times before we took off. I totally kicked Candyland ass. Chelsea had kicked all our asses in Sorry!, though, delighting in sending our pieces back to start. It had been a really fun day, all in all.

I told Danny to keep texting me with his dad's phone and to call whenever he wanted. Chelsea asked me to have Eli call her again. So, I'd made some inroads, but I still wasn't her favorite. That was cool. I'd win her over one day.

We said our goodbyes and separated. Reed Girl linked her fingers with mine when I started up the car.

"You're going to make one incredible father, Edward."

I looked at her, surprised at how fierce she sounded. I turned the car back off. "Thanks, baby."

"I mean it. I know you have your worries, and so do I, about me, but not about you. Not after I saw you with those kids today."

"What do you mean? You shouldn't be afraid. You're going to be awesome. I'm the one who curses in front of them, makes neighbor kids cry, and maybe makes them want to know how babies are made." I'd apologized to Joyce for that, but she'd laughed and told me they'd already had that conversation. So it came before age nine. Good to know.

Reed Girl giggled. "Yeah, our kid is probably going to know the word fuck before he or she knows the word mama, but we'll work on that." She smiled. "You supported and defended those kids, even to their own parents when you were afraid that they were going to get into trouble. You made Danny feel like a champion and Chelsea feel like she could take down defensive linemen."

She brought our joined fingers up to her lips, kissing the back of my hand. "You gave a very sick little boy a strong shoulder to sleep on and never made him feel like he was sick or different. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen you do." Tears spilled over her cheeks.

"Hey, don't cry, baby." These weren't happy tears. Or maybe they were? I couldn't fucking tell.

"I can't help it. And I held off the whole dinner, just about, so you have to let me cry now." She laughed as she brushed at her tears. "I can't help but think about how you'll be with our baby."

The thought of that made those flutters start in stomach again. But I put my hand over her stomach. "I don't know what I'll do if our kid gets sick." I hated that Danny was sick. And I hated that I didn't want my kid to be like him. It made me feel shitty.

"Oh, Edward." She cupped my face in her hands. "Don't you see? You'll do exactly what you just did. You'll defend our child; you'll give him or her shoulder to lean on. You'll be his strength and mine. Cause God knows I'll need you to be mine, sick or healthy."

"You're way stronger than I am, baby." I pulled her to me. "I'm scared for him."

She wrapped her arms around me and held on to me tight. "Me, too. But we'll both be there for him, for them. It's all we can do."

"I wish we could do more."

Reed Girl pulled back and smiled at me. "Then we'll do more. We'll add a charity for children's leukemia or just cancer in general to the foundation. We'll raise money, donate time, do what we can in Danny's name."

She fucking floored me. I kissed the hell out of her. "You're the most incredible woman I've ever met."

She smiled. "That makes us a well-matched pair then, because you're incredible, too." She kissed me again. "Take me home. I'm in the mood for something sweet."

Holy shit. I shook my head as I started the car. "You can't possibly eat more pie."

She laughed. "I could, but I was talking about you."

Well, then. I floored the gas and made her laugh.

As we pulled away from the house, I watched it get smaller in my rearview mirror. "We're gonna need to get a house, aren't we?" It had hit me as we'd been sitting there, watching the kids play with their toys. A kid needed a yard and neighbors to play with and shit. A swingset, like they had in their backyard.

Reed Girl laughed lightly, and I glanced at her. "What?"

"I was trying to figure out a way to bring that up to you without freaking you out, like the boys did after you found out I was pregnant."

Surprisingly, I didn't feel the need to freak out this time. It was what it was.

"We don't have to move right away if you don't want. Obviously the baby won't need much space at first."

"No, but you want to, don't you?" I knew my wife.

"Maybeeeee."

I laughed at her wheedling tone. "Maybe, huh?"

"Well, it's just that it'll be a pain dragging the baby stuff into the elevator and out every time we want to go to the store or the park or something."

I shook my head and took her hand in mine again. "Looks like we'll be house hunting soon." I honestly didn't want to wait, either. It'd be easier to move before the baby came than after, when we had all that extra shit to haul.

"Yeah?" She sounded excited. "I can't wait! We're going to have a real home."

A real home. With my wife, our kid, and our cat. Two years ago, I would have lost my shit. Now? It sounded really kind of great.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N Happy National Garlic Day! I felt obliged to choose that one as a person with a very Italian last name. hehe Plus, garlic, vampires, Twilight? Loose tie, right? Very loose I admit, but it's another Sunday without football, and yet, another Sunday closer to football returning. Plus we're officially eleven days away from the opening round of the draft! As I'm sure you can imagine, with Tampa with the number one pick, I'm quite excited about it. Even though the draft drama is starting to drag for me. I just want it to be here. Then we'll find out what happens instead of talking about it :)**

**Thank you for all the love last chapter. Yes, our Edward is maturing and growing in huge ways and he's a joy to write. I know you all love little Danny, as do I. It's hard to write hard times for him. I won't give away any plot points, but I will say that anything that I write does have a greater overall purpose to the story. So, trust in me, even if we do have to cry from time to time. I'm here to give virtual hugs when you need them, I promise!**

**As to this chapter, no tears! No goodbyes, only hellos! And a little something many of you have been anxious to see. Hehe Enjoy! Have a great week and next week? We'll have sex! Two different kinds, and no, that doesn't mean there are twins. Haha You do the math! See you then!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 32

"One more day," I told Rainbow, who was lying on my chest. "One more day until Reed Girl gets here and we get back to normal."

She tilted her head, her golden eyes trained on my face.

"Well, I guess not really normal. The new normal. Everything's changing starting tomorrow. You up for it?"

She head-butted me. Of course she was up for it. She was fucking Rainbow.

"We're gonna move, you know."

I had several houses earmarked to go over with Bella, before we got with our realtor and got busy. We wouldn't move until after the season was over, preferably, but hell, we were nearly there already. Only a few weeks before the playoffs started, and we weren't going to get in, despite the fact that we'd beaten all three of our divisional foes in the past few weeks. Philly and Dallas kept winning their other games, and the Skins had been out of it since week two. Next year was mine, though.

"You won't have a room overlooking the water, probably, but I'll make sure we get a place with a screened-in porch for you. You can hang out there when it's not cold as fuck." Rainbow loved our porch in Tally. She'd spend hours out there, watching birds and nature and shit.

She put a paw on my chin.

"Yeah, you like that, don't you? I figured you would. I know shit's about to get real. Lots of change ahead. And you and I don't do that well with change, do we? We're creatures of habit, the both of us. Babies tend to throw things out of whack."

I leaned back and closed my eyes. Rainbow inched up and burrowed her head into my neck, purring away.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm excited about the kid. He's going to be awesome. But babies aren't predictable. He'll wake up at all hours of the night, and even though I'm not equipped to feed him, I'll have to get up with Bella because that's what a good dad does. She can't carry the load alone, you know? I wouldn't want her to."

Dad told me that some of the best bonding time he spent with me was in the middle of the night when he was giving me a bottle while my mom got some much-needed sleep.

" _A mother has that instant connection with the baby when she breast-feeds." My dad smiled. "You'll see it the first time Bella holds your baby. It's different for a dad. We didn't have that connection with the baby before it came out, and we can't use our bodies to feed him or her. We don't get that physical pull that women do. Still, when you pick your son or daughter up out of their crib and sit with them cradled in your arms and give them that bottle, and you see that trusting little face looking up at you as they get their nourishment, well, there's nothing like it, son."_

_He laughed. "I had many a conversation with you late at night, talking about my day at work and my hopes and dreams for you. Of course, I wanted you to quarterback for Florida State just like I did. Obviously that one worked out. Have big dreams for your children, Edward, but don't hold them to them either. Let them be their own person."_

"I can do the talking thing, for sure. I talk to you all the fucking time."

Rainbow meowed in agreement. She knew I had that shit down.

"Anyway, I guess I just want you to know that just because shit is changing, that doesn't mean that it's changing for us." Thank fuck nobody was around to hear me talking to my cat. They'd throw me in a padded room for sure.

"I'm gonna need you to be there for me, Rainbow." I pulled her off me and held her in front of my face. "There will be times when I can't say what's on my mind to Reed Girl, you know, like after I first found out about the baby. I mean, I love him now, but it's still kind of unreal to me. But it'll be real soon enough, for all of us. And I'm sure I'll have shit to talk about."

She put a paw on my nose. She totally understood.

"And I know you're used to a shitton of attention, and we'll probably forget to give you some sometimes when the baby comes along, but you know how we feel and stuff." I wasn't telling my cat I loved her. I just wasn't going to do that, even if I did. She knew.

"The night can be our time. You can help me feed him and hang out and shit. Okay, Rainbow?"

She let out a little meow, which I took as agreement. That or she wanted me to put her the fuck down. Either/or.

"Rainbow Poppins. It kind of has a ring to it, don't you think?"

Holy fuck. I looked over into the doorway, and there stood Reed Girl.

"Either I've finally truly lost my mind, or you're here early."

She smirked and leaned against the doorjamb. "Why don't you come over here and find out?"

I put Rainbow down and was off the bed and across the room in less than five seconds. I reached out and touched her cheek. She was real. She was here and she was real. Thank fuck. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her to me and kissing her with all I had in me. Which, after two fucking weeks, was quite a lot.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be having a going-away party right now?" I was confused as hell. Happy but confused.

She smiled as she wrapped her arms around my neck. "I decided I didn't want to wait even a day longer to be where my heart was. I missed it-you-too much. And I hate goodbyes. Plus, it's not goodbye with those guys anyway. They'll see us soon."

That was true. Christmas was fast approaching. Fuck. I needed to shop.

"I'm glad you got here early. But you should have called me, baby. I would have picked you up from the airport."

She grinned. "But then I couldn't have surprised you."

Right. And what timing she'd had.

"And I also wouldn't have heard your conversation with Miss Rainbow."

Fucking hell. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough to know that you plan on telling her things you won't tell me." She tilted her head. "What kinds of things?"

Time to distract her. "Nothing of importance." I picked her up and carried her over to the bed. "We have far more interesting things to do than talk."

She shook her head. "You know there's nothing you can't tell me."

Fuck that noise. "Sure there is. I mean, you heard what I said. I didn't love the baby at first. I couldn't tell you that." I braced myself for tears or a smack or God knew what.

Reed Girl patted my cheek instead. "I knew you didn't, Edward. I didn't expect you to. The baby was a surprise. A great one. But a surprise all the same. Of course you needed time to wrap your head around it. I did, too."

"So you're not mad?"

"Of course not. It was sweet of you to be worried about upsetting me, but I'd rather you talk to me about how you're feeling than not." She grinned over at Rainbow, who was sniffing around her. "You can tell both of us, can't you?"

"It depends." I sank on the bed next to her.

"On what? You can tell me anything. I'm your wife and I love you."

I grinned when she said she was my wife. I couldn't stop myself.

"Yes, but there are just some things that you can't tell a mother about her kid."

"Like what?" She was watching me with a patient smile on her lips.

Fine. I'd say it. "Like, what if the baby is ugly? Not all babies are cute, you know. What if our kid is weird-looking? I can't say that to you. You'll cry and you'll hate me."

Her lips twitched, and I feared she was going to start crying already. I shouldn't have said shit. Before I could apologize, she burst out laughing. Rainbow and I both stared at her as she laughed herself silly. She was crying now, but they were obviously happy tears. Or maybe insane ones? Who the fuck knew?

"Are these the things you think about? God, I love what goes on in your head." She took my face in her hands. "Yes, some babies are weird-looking. But they're still cute in their own way. And I'm not remotely worried about what our baby is going to look like. He or she will be beautiful to both of us, I guarantee it."

"But what-"

She silenced me with her lips, which was the perfect fucking way to get me to shut up, as far as I was concerned.

"Tell you what. You can have your secret discussions with Rainbow, but if they don't make you feel any better, you come to me, okay?"

I could do that. "Okay."

"And if they're important, well, I hope you'll come to me regardless. Nothing you tell me could make me love you any less."

I pulled her to me. "I just don't ever want to make things harder on you. Especially when you were first pregnant and I was here and you were there. You didn't need more stress. And you don't need more now. You're growing our baby in there. He needs a calm environment."

She kissed me again. "I promise, the baby is in a very calm environment. School's over and I'm here. I haven't felt this good since our wedding."

That was good news. The best, actually. "Speaking of feeling good…" I trailed off at the sexy smile that crossed her face. "Well, we should celebrate your first night home properly, right?"

"I couldn't agree more." She stood up and whipped her shirt off. "Look!"

My eyes zeroed right in on her tits. "Oh, I am." I started to reach for them when she smacked my hand away.

"Not there, perv. Here! Look!"

Her hands landed on her stomach. She tugged down her jeans, and that's when I saw it. A bump. A very little but definitely visible bump. My baby. Our baby.

I reached forward and put my hand on top of it. She put her hands on top of mine.

"That's our baby," I told her, completely blown away. I mean, it wasn't a surprise. I knew he was in there. But now I could see proof that he was. He wasn't just a picture on a screen anymore. It was fucking awesome.

Reed Girl was staring at my face, tears in her eyes. "See? You won't think our baby is ugly. And you have nothing to worry about when it comes to loving him or her. You already do."

I did. I ran my thumb over the little rise where our baby rested. "I love you both." Rainbow took that moment to plop down in between us. I shook my head. "Fine. All three of you."

Reed Girl giggled when Rainbow gave me a head-butt on my arm. "See? You can tell us both anything."

I smirked at her. "Can I tell you that I really need to be inside you right now? It's been two weeks too long since I've had you."

She grinned. "It's about time you gave me a proper welcome home, Cullen."

I pinned Reed Girl to the bed, sending Rainbow off the bed in a huff. Oh, well. She'd get over it. I had my priorities. I kissed my wife senseless.

"Welcome home, baby." I skimmed my hand over her bump. "Babies."

We took our time undressing one another, exploring each other. She was changed but still the same. And when I slid inside her, everything was as it should be again.

"Welcome home."

Xoxoxoxoxox

"Fuck, I'm tired." Colin plopped his tray down next to mine on the table. "Seriously, can't we just float the next three games? We're not getting into the playoffs without a major meltdown from the Boys or Birds."

I raised a brow at him. "Dallas and December are like blood and water. They just don't mix. Are you going to bet the house on Romo? Really?"

"Shit. I know. This season is just kicking my ass."

"He says that every season," Paul informed me as he took his seat. "Poor baby can't handle sixteen games."

"Well, he better learn to handle nineteen or so next year. He can sleep in February."

Paul hooted with laughter. "I love your confidence, kid."

"We're getting better every week. Next year we'll be even better." We'd had one hiccup loss to the 9ers, but at least we were on the right track now. Seven and six was a much better record than four and five had been.

"Did you hear?" Sammy sat down next to me. "Jennings got a new phone number." He snickered. "I guess Renee is single again, so she really started coming after him hard. You dodged the fuck out of that bullet, man."

"No shit." Colin shook his head. "Though he finally figured out that it was me who gave her his number, so I have to watch my ass."

"Your ass is giant. Just sit on him," Paul suggested.

I shook my head and dug into my chicken salad. Now that Bella was home, I was eating even healthier than usual, even when I was at work. I considered it solidarity since I was watching her diet like a hawk. It was only fair that I practice what I preached, after all.

"I'll have you know that I have a fantastic ass for a person my size. You could only wish you looked this good."

"Speaking of looking good…God damn. Cullen, how do you even leave the house when you have _that_ at home?"

What? I looked up and followed Paul's gaze. There, in the entrance to the cafeteria, stood my wife. And holy fuck, what was she wearing?

I was across the room like a shot, ushering her outside before my entire team got an eyeful of what belonged to me.

"Hey, handsome," she murmured, putting her arms around me.

I planted a kiss on her before I remembered where we were and wondered what the fuck was going on.

"Hey, baby. Um, did I forget an anniversary or something?" I had to have, because she was dressed to kill in a form-fitting navy blue dress that did nothing to hide her gorgeous new curves.

"Of course not." She laughed lightly. "I'm here to meet with Alec to go over stuff for the foundation. I thought I'd stop by to find you first so you could show me where to go. And, you know, so I could do this."

She pressed her body up against mine, and my dick immediately shot to attention. I lost myself in her, reaching down to squeeze her ass as my lips devoured hers. The sound of a throat clearing had us breaking apart. Bella started to move away from me, but I held her close, partly because I wasn't letting whomever was behind her look at her gorgeous tits and partly to cover my raging hard-on.

"You know, we do have rooms with massage tables and shit. Why don't you guys take it somewhere private?"

I flipped Brady off, and he walked away chuckling. Fuck. I had to remember where we were.

"Do we have plans afterward? I mean, you're a little overdressed for a meeting with Alec." Where was her coat? Where was _my_ coat? If she didn't wear one, I was going to have to get it for her.

Reed Girl's lip poked out in a little pout. "Nothing I had that was appropriate to wear really fits me right now. I need to go shopping. You don't think I look okay?"

Okay? Was she fucking serious? "Baby, you look awesome. Sexy as hell. Too fucking sexy to be in a building full of football players. I'm going to have to kick several asses before the day is out, just you wait and see."

"So you don't think I look fat? Even this is a little tight."

A little tight, my ass. It was painted on her. I wanted nothing more than to peel it away and get my hands on what was so gorgeously on display.

"You look gorgeous, baby. The cafeteria staff is going to have to mop up the drool on the floor."

She laughed. "You're exaggerating. I don't look that-"

"Yo, Bella! When are you going to leave this son of a bitch and marry me? You know what they say about me, don't you? I have really good hands."

I scowled at Sammy while Reed Girl giggled and gave him a hug. "So do quarterbacks, don't you know?"

I was slightly mollified by her comment, but I shoved his ass away from her anyway. "Hands off."

He held them up, grinning. "A guy can dream, can't he? Are we going to the club tonight after we get done with practice? Bella's up for it, aren't you?"

She shook her head. "No, according to my husband over here, I need to do some shopping. Perhaps I can find some muumuus to accommodate my expanding waistline."

I glared at both of them. "Nobody's going clubbing. Or wearing muumuus. You look sexy as hell, as my former friend and teammate here can attest to. And we're not going shopping. I'm taking you to dinner because you look too fucking good to waste on a mall. Then we're going home and I'm going to find out just what you have on underneath that dress, if you can fit anything under there, that is." Either way, I wanted my hands on her right fucking now.

"Damn. Now I see why you married him."

Reed Girl's wide eyes were boring into mine. She licked her lips and nodded. "Uh, yeah. He's good at that."

Sammy chortled with laughter.

"I mean, with words." Reed Girl blushed but laughed along with him. "And _that,_ too."

I laughed and wrapped my arms around her. "Thank you, baby."

She sighed and gave me a light kiss. "I think I forgot why I came here in the first place. Can you point me in the direction of the marketing department?"

I took her hand in mine. "I'll take you there. And call me when you're done and I'll be sure to escort you to the car." I wasn't letting her wander around the hallways alone with my horny teammates around.

"Sounds good to me. Sammy, do you want to come over for dinner Monday after you get back in town?"

"I'll be there." He nodded at me. "See you on the field, Cullen."

"Damn right you will."

We made our way toward the marketing offices without incident, thank fuck. But just as I was counting my blessings, the door pushed open and out came Heidi. She jerked to a stop right in front of us.

Of course my wife didn't miss a fucking beat. "Well, hello there. Heidi, isn't it? I think I met you when I surprised Edward at that team function before the season started."

"Uh, yeah." Heidi eyes volleyed between me and Reed Girl, like she was watching a fucking tennis match or something.

"And then our Rainbow apparently caused you a little trouble, didn't she?" Reed Girl shook her head. "I'm so sorry about that. Edward's pussy gets very territorial. I'm sure you can understand that, can't you?"

There was an edge to her voice and a glint in her eyes that made it quite clear that she wasn't referring to Rainbow.

Heidi let out a nervous little laugh and nodded. "Sure. I shouldn't have grabbed her."

Bella smiled. "Well, we learn the hard way sometimes to keep our hands off what doesn't belong to us. I'm sure it won't happen again."

Holy fuck. I mean, fuckkkkkkkk. My wife was throwing double entendres all over the place, and Heidi looked like she wanted to fall through the floor. Hottest fucking shit, ever. Maybe I could make Alec let us have his office for the next hour or so. No way could I go practice knowing my girl had just thrown down and pretty much pissed a circle around me.

"No." Heidi glanced at me. "I should be going."

Reed Girl nodded. "Of course. I'm sure you're quite busy." She turned to me. "Thanks for getting me here, Champ. I'll call you when I'm done, and we can go get something to eat. I think the baby has his daddy's appetite."

She put a hand on her little bump, making sure that Heidi got a look. It fucking killed me. I may as well play along.

I grinned. "Let's hope that's the only appetite he gets from me, or you're going to lock him up for the next thirty or so years."

She laughed and gave me a smacking kiss. "Darn right. God knows that women will be throwing themselves at him right and left if he takes after you."

I smirked and gave her butt a light pat. "We'll just have to make sure that he has my discriminating taste and finds a woman as awesome as his mother." I was vaguely aware of the fact that Heidi was hauling ass down the hallway.

"Ha! Let's hope that taste discriminates long before yours did, Cullen."

I grinned at her. "It took me a lot of tries to get it right, but when I did, I rocked it."

"You sure did." She leaned into me. "Thanks for the assist, Champ."

"Are you talking about the help getting to the office or helping you stake your claim in front of Heidi?"

"Both, of course." She kissed me again.

"You didn't just wear that dress because nothing else fit, did you?"

She gave me a slow smile. "A woman wants to look good when she visits her husband at work, don't you know?"

I had to laugh. "I guess I do. Just as long as said woman knows that I fully intend to make good on that promise to see what's going on under that dress as soon as possible."

She licked her lips. "I look forward to that. Now, go try to kick some ass on the practice field."

"Like I can concentrate now?" I shook my head and kissed her lightly. "Call me as soon as you're done. I'll try to bug out early."

"Sounds good."

She started to push open the door to marketing, and I headed back the way I came.

"Oh, and Edward?"

I glanced back to see her smiling mischievously. "Yeah?"

"The answer is nothing."

I raised an eyebrow at her, not quite sure what she was getting at. I mean, I hoped I knew, but I couldn't be sure.

"Nothing could possibly fit under the dress."

I groaned. "You're going into a meeting wearing nothing but that dress and a smile?"

She giggled. "Yeah."

"You're going to pay for that later, Mrs. Cullen." In the best fucking way possible.

"I'm counting on it, Mr. Cullen."

She sent me a wave and headed into the office as if she hadn't just left me an aching cock. Having her here on a daily basis just might kill me, in the best way. Thank fuck she was home.


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N Happy Draft Week! Hehe It's finally here! Five days until I'm in my football happy place, watching hours of people getting on a stage and announcing the players that will help shape the team. I know, it sounds boring to many of you. But for me? It's exciting! Plus, Tampa is picking first and more than likely taking Jameis Winston, who played for FSU. A Heisman winning FSU QB going first in the NFL draft, after having won a championship, sounds familiar doesn't it? If only I could shape the future through my writing...**

**Today is National Hug an Australian Day! Did my Aussie readers know this? Who decides these things? Regardless, virtual hugs go out to all my Aussie gals! I dream and long of visiting your country one day. Also, it's National Pet Parent's Day, which naturally is close to my heart. My cats have given me nothing, unless one counts vomit on the carpet. The gift that keeps on giving? haha I'm sure Rainbow would happily give her Daddy a present, were she able to shop or hunt or something. Her gift today would have to be alone time, as you shall see. hehe**

**Let's talk about sex, baby! Have a great week, and I'll see you Sunday to relive my post draft high!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 33

I was so fucking stupid. Why had I promised to take Reed Girl to dinner when she was wearing only that slinky blue dress? It was like I wanted to torture myself like some crazy masochist. We should already be home and I should be buried inside her instead of glaring at every man with eyes in the restaurant. To say that my wife was getting admiring glances would be an understatement.

For her part, Reed Girl didn't even seem to notice. She'd been talking nonstop since I met her at the mall.

"And Alec already hooked me up with a visit to one of the local elementary schools. I'm going over next Tuesday to meet with one of the teachers. They're really excited about it, and so am I."

She definitely was. Her eyes were sparkling and her face was flushed. She was fucking gorgeous beyond words.

"I'm glad it's set up, baby. When are you going to play for them?"

She shrugged. "Not until after the holidays. It's nearly winter break for the kids. And I need to find some local instrument stores. I'm hoping we can get some sponsorship or discounts. Oh, and I haven't told you the best part!"

I fucking loved how excited she was.

"What's that, baby?"

"I talked to the director at the symphony. They're willing to partner up with us, put on some shows for the kids, come to the schools and do a little teaching when the scheduling permits. Can you believe it?"

I took her hand and brought it to my lips. "Of course I can. Who could say no to you? That's awesome, though, baby. You'll get to play with them in your own way."

She grinned. "Yes. Without having to travel all over the place. I can't wait!"

The waiter came over then, and I saw him do a double take at my wife. Fucker. If he wanted a decent tip, he'd better look away. Almost like he heard me, he looked over to me.

"Hello. I'm Carl and I'll be your waiter tonight. Can I start you off with a drink?" He smiled at Reed Girl, and I didn't like the way his eyes moved over her. "Our house wine is excellent and-"

" _My wife_ can't drink, since she's pregnant with _my_ baby," I interrupted, sending him my death look.

Reed Girl giggled. "I'll just have some water, please."

"Uh, yes. And for you, sir?"

"I'll have the same." Fucker.

Not surprisingly, he hurried away from me. Reed Girl's giggles got more pronounced the farther away he got.

"What's so funny?" I asked, because a random waiter ogling my wife was not fucking amusing in my eyes.

"You, being possessive of me. As if you had anything to worry about."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "One could say the same for you, Mrs. Cullen, but you were sure throwing down with Heidi a little bit ago."

She shrugged. "That was different."

"Oh, really? How so?"

"Because she actually had the balls to hit on you, even knowing that you were mine." Her pretty eyes were snapping with temper just thinking about it. It was hot as hell.

"Maybe. But she didn't stand a chance with me, either."

She smiled. "Yes, and I just reiterated that. It doesn't hurt to send a little reminder. I didn't even give her a dirty look."

I had to laugh at that. "No, you were all fake smiles and innuendo. It was fucking awesome."

"I made my point without any bloodshed."

"I didn't hit anyone. And if you don't think Heidi ran away from you just as fast as that waiter ran away from me, you weren't paying very good attention."

My Bella giggled again. "I saw. It was funny. Alec probably thought I was a little deranged at first, since I couldn't stop smiling and laughing when I first got into his office."

"I doubt Alec even noticed with you looking like that."

Reed Girl shook her head. "He's a happily married man. He asked me about the baby first thing. I really like him, Edward."

"I like him, too. But he noticed." He was a man, after all. There was no way he didn't notice how sexy my wife was.

She shrugged. "Everything was completely professional, Edward."

I sighed. I was being an idiot and I knew it. "I know. It's just…can you maybe not look that fucking sexy next time you come to a meeting with Alec? Or even to see me? Because my teammates are horny fuckers, baby. I can promise you're going to be starring in some fantasies tonight." And if I could rip those images out of their fucking heads, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Bella frowned. "I'm sorry. I didn't even think about it like that. I just wanted… It's stupid."

"Nothing you do is stupid, baby. What did you want?"

"I wanted to show her that I was right for you. Worthy, I guess? Before I get big and fat and waddle around like a penguin."

"Bella." Fuck that noise. I stood and pulled her into my arms. "You don't have to prove anything to anybody, baby. You're gorgeous now and you're going to be gorgeous even when you're bigger and waddling." I was avoiding the word fat like the plague, even if she'd used it. "All I could think about since the moment I laid eyes on you today was getting you home and peeling that dress off your sexy body."

"I know." She grinned up at me. "That's why I was surprised you wanted to meet for dinner."

My wife knew me so fucking well it was scary. "I thought it was the least I could do, with you looking like that."

She licked her lips. "How about you do the best you can do, then, and take me home right now?"

I didn't have to be told twice. I got my wallet out and threw some money on the table, even though we'd technically not ordered anything yet. I took her hand, and we both laughed as we ran out of the restaurant. People were staring now for sure, but I didn't give a shit. I was taking my sexy wife home and getting her naked. They could all eat their fucking hearts out.

We had to drive home separately, which fucking sucked, but the instant we stepped into the elevator, we were all over each other. My hands found her breasts, and hers were on my ass as we devoured each other.

"You're so fucking sexy. You don't even know," I breathed before nipping at her ear.

"Tell me," she murmured, one of her hands making its way around to my front and brushing across my cock.

"I couldn't concentrate during practice. All I could think about was getting my hands on you."

She laughed breathlessly as she palmed my cock. "They're on me now. I bet your coach wasn't happy."

"No, he wasn't." I snorted. "Neither was Brady when I threw the ball right into his ass."

"Did you do that on accident or on purpose?"

I grinned at her. "What do you think?"

She giggled. "He probably had it coming, then."

Hell yes he did. His comments about Bella had been fairly tame, but still. You didn't comment on another man's wife. He knew that now, for sure.

The elevator opened, and we spilled out of it. I managed to get the door open despite the fact that Reed Girl was already unbuttoning my shirt. If the neighbors came out now, they'd get a bit of an eyeful.

I got us inside and hurriedly slammed and locked the door. I reached for the bottom of her dress and dragged it up her body. Sure enough, there was absolutely nothing on underneath it. Just naked, glorious Bella.

"You are a very, very naughty girl, Mrs. Cullen."

"Yeah? What are you going to do about it, Mr. Cullen?" The challenge in her voice, the smirk on her face…she was fucking perfection and mine. All mine.

"I'm going to have to punish you, aren't I?"

I gave her a light swat on the ass that made her shriek and run down the hallway. I chased after her, taking off my shirt as I went. I nearly fucking tripped when Rainbow streaked after us, thinking she was part of the game as well. Fuck that noise.

I grabbed her container of treats and tossed some in the living room. She made a beeline after them, and I ran into the bedroom, shutting the door behind me. Reed Girl was lying on her side on the bed, her body aimed right in my direction.

"So fucking sexy." I undid my pants as I stepped toward her.

"I wanted to be, for you." Her lips curved in a sultry smile. "I wanted to make you think about me; knowing that I was nearby, looking the way I did, and you couldn't touch me. I wanted you to burn for me, the way that I do you."

Fucking hell. "I did. I do." I kicked off my pants and my boxers, coming to stand beside the bed.

She reached out and stroked my aching cock. "I didn't think about how it would affect anybody but you."

I knew that she hadn't thought of my teammates at all. "And Heidi."

She laughed. "Okay, her a little. But mostly you." She leaned forward and ran her tongue over the tip of my cock. "I always think about you." She closed her lips around the head and swirled her tongue around before releasing me. "I always want you."

So fucking hot. And true. Especially with the added gift of pregnancy hormones. My wife had a voracious sexual appetite. We might have to have twenty kids, if she stayed this horny throughout her pregnancies.

"I always want you, too, Bella."

She opened her mouth and took me all the way in. So fucking good. I ran my fingers through her hair and let her control the pace. I stopped her when I got too close. As fantastic as her mouth was, I wanted her pussy.

I kissed her as I lowered myself down on the bed on top of her. She smiled up at me when I broke the kiss and cupped her face in my hands.

"I'm going to have to explore every inch of your body with my tongue. That's what I was thinking about this afternoon when I was supposed to be thinking about the Rams' defensive stunts."

"Well, that does sound like a torturous punishment, but I suppose I'll have to endure it." She ran her fingers through my hair. It felt fan-fucking-tastic.

I grinned before nipping her nose. "It will be torturous. You're going to be begging before I'm done."

She cocked an eyebrow. "That sounds like a challenge."

"You can call it what you want. I consider it a promise. You can call it a vow, if you like."

"Another implied wedding vow? I love those."

I kissed her, hard. "You'll love it, baby. You will."

And I made good on my promise, because I rock like that. I licked and sucked her neck, which was a special weakness of hers. Not even two minutes into my exploration and I had her panting already. I made my way down her shoulders, scraping my teeth over her soft skin before getting to one of my absolute favorite areas.

I ran my tongue over her nipple, flicking and biting, first one, and then the other. Bella's body moved under me, her hands holding me to her as I licked and sucked on her perfect breasts.

I made my way down her stomach, paying special attention to the bump. I knew she fucking loved that, and honestly, so did I.

"I'll be seeing you tomorrow," I murmured, making my Reed Girl sigh. Eli had come through with a female doctor, and we had our first appointment tomorrow morning. I'd gotten special permission to miss my morning practice.

"We should find out what we're having. I can't wait."

Neither could I, even if I already knew. But now wasn't the time for that. I sucked on her hip bone, making her moan and arch her body toward me. I kissed my way down her thighs, first outer, and then inner. She spread her legs wide for me when I got to the inside. I knew damn well what she wanted, but she wasn't begging yet, and that had been my vow. I had to make it happen.

I licked my way down her thighs, nipping her knee.

"You missed a spot." I glanced up to see a pretty little pout on her face.

"I didn't hear you beg yet, baby."

"You're not going to."

I smirked against her skin. "We'll see." I continued my exploration, licking behind each of her knees, which made her giggle and shudder. She was ticklish back there. I fucking loved it. I made my way down to her ankles, nipping and biting and driving her insane. I even kissed her cute little toes, which made her sigh and giggle.

"Now you need to go back to the spot you missed," she told me, but again, she wasn't begging.

I just laughed. "Are you kidding? I'm only halfway done." I rolled her over and made my way from her feet on up, making her squeal when I gave her a gentle bite on her sexy ass. I did the other cheek and got the same result.

It was hard to believe a back was sexy, but Reed Girl's totally was. I licked right up the line in the center, and she shuddered and moaned. When I got to the back of her neck, I nibbled and sucked…and finally I heard it.

"Edward, please. You're killing me."

I knew that, of course. She was practically humping the bed as I worked on her backside, but still, it was good to hear. I flipped her over and immediately started licking her pussy.

"Fuck. Yes. Thank you. God!" A bunch of words came out as she pushed her pussy into my face. I slid a couple fingers inside her, and pretty soon she was babbling nonsense until she shouted my name as she came. I fucking loved it. While she was still shaking, I moved up her body and slid right inside of her. She was tight as hell from her orgasm. Fucking awesome.

Since I'd spent a lot of time exploring her body, I didn't feel the need to take it slow once I was inside her. No, I fucked the shit out of her. And she loved it. Her long legs wrapped around my waist, and she met me thrust for thrust. She was hot and wet and absolutely perfect.

"Edward!" she grabbed my hair and pulled a little too hard, but it kinda felt good. She came hard around me, and I followed pretty much right after. I collapsed on top of her, unable to move for a few moments.

Reed Girl ran her fingers through my hair, and I winced a little. "Did I hurt you?"

"You pulled a little hard. It's fine."

Her lips brushed over my forehead and then over the top of my head. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not." I lifted my head and grinned down at her. "You begged."

She smiled. "Maybe a little. If this is going to be my punishment, I might have to return those clothes I bought at the mall today."

I gave her a smacking kiss. "Fuck that noise. You wear those out and keep that blue dress for me." Honestly, she could wear anything she fucking wanted, and we both knew it. Men could look at her, but touching was all mine. That was what mattered.

She giggled. "I can do that. I'm all yours, you know."

"Just as I'm all yours. But if you want to throw verbal smack downs to Heidi or anyone else, you go right ahead. It's hot as hell."

"I'll keep that in mind. We're both a bit possessive, aren't we?"

I smiled. "Who can blame us? Look at us."

She shook her head. "Ass." Then she slapped mine for good measure. It was really fucking hot.

"Watch out, baby, or we're going to have to go again."

She smirked. "Bring it on, Champ."

Well, I did love a challenge.

Xoxoxoxoxox

This was it. Today I was going officially hear that I had a son. Reed Girl and I were sitting in the waiting room, which was again filled with ginormous pregnant women. It was hard to believe that Bella would be that big one day, unless some of these chicks were having twins. That would explain a lot. One of them looked like she'd be able to block for me, she was that damn big.

"Stop staring," Reed Girl whispered, nudging me.

"I can't help it. How many babies do you think are in there?" I murmured back. How did women even walk with all that bulk in the front?

"None of your business. And I'm going to remember that when I'm that big, Cullen."

"Ha! You won't be. There have to be at least three babies in there."

Apparently I spoke too loudly, because the woman I'd been talking about smiled at me. "How did you know?"

"Uhhh." Fuck. What was I supposed to say?

"He's been reading _What to Expect When You're Expecting_ like it's his personal bible," Reed Girl supplied, patting my leg. "He's all about what size the baby is at each visit."

"He's a cantaloupe today." The food comparisons continued. Strangely, I was getting used to it.

The woman smiled. "Are you having a boy, then?"

Reed Girl laughed. "We'll find out today. This one is convinced it's a boy, though."

Triplet-woman joined in the laughter. "So was my husband. And then we found out we're having three girls. He's still in shock and denial."

Three girls? Jesus fucking Christ. I'd kill myself. They were probably already squabbling inside there. The way the woman was rubbing her belly, I knew it had to be true.

"Wow! Do you have names picked out?"

And they were off, chatting about baby names and shit like that. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to the woman beside me. She was a brunette, with bright blue eyes. If she was pregnant, then she wasn't showing yet.

"Excuse me. Are you Edward Cullen?"

Of course. I even got recognized in the doctor's office. "Yes."

"Great game on Sunday."

"Thanks. You like football?"

"Yeah. I've been a Giants fan all my life. We're excited you're here. I mean, my family is and everything."

"It's good to be here." Triplet-lady got called back, so I brought Reed Girl into our conversation. "This is my wife, Bella."

"Hi, I'm Kim Browning."

"Hi. Are you expecting?" I was kinda glad Bella had asked. I didn't know if it was rude if I did it or not.

"Looks like," she murmured, shifting nervously.

"Is this your first appointment?" Bella asked.

Kim nodded. "Yeah."

"And you're by yourself? Where's your-"I broke off in a grunt when Reed Girl elbowed me. "What?"

But when I followed her gaze and saw the tears in the woman's eyes, I knew. Fuck. She was alone.

"Sorry." I felt like shit.

"That's okay. I'm just a little nervous."

Reed Girl launched into a tale of everything that Kim could expect for her first appointment. I felt bad for her. She looked really fucking nervous, and she was all alone. What kind of asshole left a woman to deal with that on her own?

"What time's your appointment?" Reed Girl asked.

Kim laughed. "About forty-five minutes from now. I got here early because I was so nervous."

"Tell you what. If we're done before they call you back, I'll go in with you. If you want, that is." Reed Girl took my hand. "I went to my first appointment alone, so I know what it's like."

And now I felt like shit about that, even though at the time I hadn't known she was pregnant and I'd been up here and she'd been down there.

"I didn't know," I told Kim, hurriedly coming to my own defense. "She didn't tell me because we were in different states. I would have been there."

"Baby, I wasn't saying anything against you. Of course you would have been there if you'd known about it." Reed Girl kissed my cheek. "I'm just explaining that I've been there. I was nervous as hell because we hadn't planned this, we were in different states, and I was working on my last semester of school."

"That first part sounds familiar." Kim gave a rueful smile. "But I couldn't ask you to do that."

"You didn't ask. I volunteered. We pregnant women have to stick together, don't you know?" Reed Girl smiled at her. "It would be nice to experience it from the other side for once."

"Well, if you're sure."

"I am. I just moved up here, and thus far the only people I know are New York Giants. It's nice to be around a female for once."

I just sat back and let Reed Girl and Kim chatter away. I couldn't help but feel happy that Bella had found a possible friend. A pregnant one, at that. They could do all that nesting shit that women needed to do during pregnancy together. And the shopping. From what I'd read, there was a lot of shopping needed. I'd happily relinquish that to the women.

We were finally called back, and Reed Girl made Kim promise to wait for her. They exchanged numbers and everything.

"Looks like you made a friend, baby."

She smiled. "She's really nice. And I feel so bad for her. I can't imagine doing this all alone."

I kissed her cheek. "You never have to."

"Thank God for that."

They did the weighing thing away from me, again, which was hilarious. I knew she'd gained a few pounds, and they were in all the right places as far as I was concerned. I only had to close my eyes and picture her in that dress from yesterday to know just how sexy her new curves were.

Eventually we got all settled and the doctor came in to do her thing.

"You must be Bella and Edward Cullen." The doctor shook her hand and then mine. "I'm Maggie Sharpe. It's nice to meet you both. So, you're twenty weeks along?"

Reed Girl nodded. "Just about that."

"Well, we'll see if we can see what you're having today, if you want to know."

"We do," I said before Reed Girl could say a word.

She giggled. "He's quite anxious for that."

The doctor laughed. "Most men are. Now tell me, how are things going for you? Are you still having morning sickness?"

"No, that's been gone for a couple of weeks now."

"Excellent. And your diet and exercise?"

"She walks for an hour a day." That was my stipulation. I'd even bought a treadmill, despite the fact that we had a gym in the building. If she wanted to go down, she could, but she had the option to stay in our place as well. The book had a big section on exercising. I'd studied up on that.

"That's excellent."

Reed Girl laughed. "He monitors my diet and exercise like a personal trainer. Even when I was in Florida, he had fresh fruits and vegetables sent over. I'm eating a lot of lean meat as well. And I'm doing some yoga."

Bless the yoga. My girl was showing some new flexibility that I fucking loved, let me tell you.

"That sounds great. Do you have any concerns or anything?"

"No, I don't think so."

They both looked to me and I shook my head. I was all good. I was on top of things.

"Let's get started then." The doctor looked Reed Girl over from head to toe, and of course didn't find anything untoward. My wife had had a very thorough examination at my hands and tongue last night. I knew she was looking great.

After all that, they hooked us up and let us hear the baby's heartbeat again. It was so fucking cool. I loved the whooshing noises that filled the room. Reed Girl got all teary again, of course. And then, finally, it was time.

The doctor squirted the stuff on her belly and the wandy thing got to work. It wasn't long before an image of the baby filled the screen. Man, he'd changed a lot. I could totally make out the head, and the arms and legs, even, now. He looked even more like a real, solid baby.

"So beautiful," Reed Girl whispered.

I squeezed her hand and watched as the doctor moved the wandy thing and created new angles and pictures.

"Well, it looks like your little one is being cooperative, Mom and Dad. You want to know, right?"

"Yes, please," Reed Girl answered, sounding teary. I glanced at her face, and she was.

"It's a girl!"

Bella let out a little sob and the tears really started to flow. Of course she was emotional. Having confirmation that we were having a…wait. What the fuck did she say? A girl?

"Are you sure?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. Had Eli sent me to a hack doctor? I didn't need another incompetent doctor coming in and fucking things up for us.

The doctor laughed. "Of course I'm sure. See right there?" She pointed at the screen. "Those are her legs, and as you can see, there's nothing between them."

It wasn't possible. Cullens didn't have girls. We had boys. Everybody knew that. This was a mistake.

"Maybe it just hasn't formed yet. That can come along later, can't it?"

"Edward," Reed Girl admonished, frowning at me.

"I think I'll give you two a moment." The doctor hurried out of the room, no doubt frightened off by the thunderous look on my wife's face.

"What? I was just checking to make sure she wasn't making a mistake. What if we bought all this pink shit and then it turned out to be a boy?" Pink. Fuck me.

The angry look melted away, and suddenly she looked sad. "You don't want her."

Fuck. Of course I'd fucked up. "I want her, baby. Of course, I do. I just…I don't know what to do with a girl."

"The same stuff you'd do with a boy."

"I was going to teach him how to throw a football and ride a bike and shit. Buy him his first pack of condoms. I can't do that with a girl." Condoms? Boys? Dating. Fuck no.

"Yes, you can. Girls ride bikes and play ball, Edward. And they most certainly-"

"Don't even finish that sentence. She's not having sex, ever. No boys, no dating, no nothing. She can be a nun. We're sort of Catholic."

Reed Girl burst out laughing. "This is going to be a lot of fun. We're having a baby girl."

I glanced at the screen again, but there was still no penis to be found. "We're having a girl…"

Lord, help me. I was so fucked.


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N Happy National Lemonade & Raspberry Popover Days! Seriously, I'm not even sure what a popover is, unless it's the same as a turnover, in which case, yum. I like raspberries, though, and it's a gorgeous day to sit outside and have a glass of lemonade here in FL, so that's what I went with :) Also, Happy Avengers weekend. Saw it yesterday, loved it. RDJ and Hemsworth rule my little world. hehe**

**The draft is done and so am I! Seriously, I'm exhausted. I'm going to need a nap or two today, have no doubt about it. It was funny, for all the rumor and innuendo, the first round was fairly boring and predictable. None of the mega-trades came to pass. A few of the risky prospects slipped down the draft boards (I actually felt bad for Gregory being there until pick number 60) but other than that? It went as predicted. And on a braggy note (not that I have anything to do with it, but I'm proud), 11 Noles got drafted, taking our 3 year total to 29, breaking the record for most players drafted from one school during that span! I'm excited for my boys, proud for my school, and psyched because they should be trumpeting that to all the recruits that they're going after for future classes! Always a good thing!**

**Yesterday was the sports day of the year, apparently, with the draft, basketball and hockey playoffs, baseball, horse racing, and boxing all in one day. I can't stand the latter two, but it's cool that so much was going on. And if you haven't seen what Gronk wore to the Derby, do yourself a favor and Google it. Only Gronk! He sticks out like a sore thumb with all those well-dressed football players. hehe I want to hang out with that guy, for real. He'd be a blast.**

**Well, most of you were excited for Baby Girl Cullen. A few of you were downright distraught, which surprised me a bit, but it is what it is! Cockyback was getting entirely too comfortable with the idea of a baby boy. Had to shake him up again. As we've learned with our boy over the years, he takes a little bit to come around to things, but once he does, he's all in. And now, for some of that coming around...**

**Have a great week and I'll see you next Sunday :)**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 34

Bella went back to the doctor's offices again with Kim while I sat in the waiting room and tried to process what I'd just been told. A girl. As in, a female. As in, fucking trouble. Girls were scary as hell. I didn't get them. I mean, I _got_ them, obviously, but I didn't understand them. They were so fucking complicated.

Boys were easy. Our thoughts boiled down to about three things ninety-nine percent of the time: sex, food, and sports-not necessarily in that order. Girls thought about that and a lot more, like feelings and shit. And my daughter better not think about the first thing in any order. That was off the fucking table.

My phone was buzzing like a motherfucker. Everybody and their uncle knew that we had our big appointment today, and no doubt they were all chomping at the bit to find out what we were having. A girl. Em and Jasper were going to have a fucking field day. I knew better than to answer any of the calls or texts, though. Bella would want to be there when we told everybody. She'd probably have to say it for me, since I didn't know if I could say the words. _A girl?_ How in the hell did that happen?

Obviously, I knew how it happened, but still. Cullens were supposed to be boys. That was the way it just seemed to go. Surely there were females somewhere in the family tree, but not recently. Why did I have to be the one to break the mold, each and every time? I mean, I was special, obviously, but a daughter? Somewhere, up there, someone was laughing their ass off at me. This was totally in some higher power's hands. I'd crossed the wrong woman somewhere along the way, and now I was being punished.

Where was Rainbow? We should have brought her in case of emergency, because I sure as hell needed to talk this shit out right now, and I couldn't do it with Reed Girl, despite what she'd said the other day. I'd seen her face in the doctor's office when she thought I was upset and didn't want a daughter. That was not the case. I mean, upset wasn't the word for it. Shocked as hell, yes. Scared? Fuck yes. Out of my depth? Without a fucking doubt. But I wasn't upset. I still loved our kid, even if she didn't have a penis. It was just scarier that she was a girl. Would Bella understand that?

She knew, of course, my history with females. And she knew that I'd certainly never had any female friends before she came along, let alone a girlfriend. Girls had been for one thing and one thing only until I met my Reed Girl. And now, for that attitude, I was being given a daughter. A daughter who would one day want to date a guy who might or might not be the same way I was. And then I'd have to kill him. I'd go to jail and get one of those _Where is He Now?_ Features on ESPN, showing me in my prison jumpsuit. I'd be another NFL violent offender. A statistic. Fuck. How many fathers out there had wanted to kill me when I'd gotten done with their daughters?

No. That wasn't the case. I hadn't broken any hearts. The girls I'd hooked up with had known the score. Some had been a little bit clingier than others after the fact, but still. Even those nutbags had known. _My_ daughter wasn't going to have random hook-ups. She'd have to stay home. We could get her homeschooled. And then the convent. Yes, that was a good plan.

I was feeling marginally better about things when Bella and Kim reappeared. Kim looked a little red-eyed, and she was holding my wife's hand like she was her lifeline.

"You can call me anytime, day or night. And the team is on the road this week, so maybe you could keep me company? I need to do more shopping," Reed Girl was saying.

Shopping for pink, no doubt. Fuck. My mother, who was probably calling me right now, since I was vibrating again, was going to lose her ever-loving shit. She'd always wanted a girl. If I'd thought it was bad when I actually got a girlfriend, what was it going to be like when I presented her with a granddaughter?

"I'd love that. Really, thank you. I don't know if I could have done that alone."

Reed Girl hugged her. "You don't have to be alone anymore. We're here for you." She looked at me for confirmation of this fact, so I just smiled and nodded. I wasn't arguing with one pregnant chick, let alone two.

They kept yapping as we made our way to the parking lot. Another parting hug and promises to get together over the weekend, and finally we were alone again. I got the door for Bella and then went around to my side. Before I could start the car, she put her hand over mine on the ignition.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" See? I was smooth as hell. She wasn't going to be upset by my reaction again.

"I don't know. Maybe because you'd already had our son winning the Super Bowl in about twenty-five years, and now you find out that he's a she? That might have you a little off-kilter."

It was more like twenty-two years. My son was going to be an NFL prodigy. "We had a fifty-fifty shot. All joking aside, I knew that. Girls are cool."

"Edward Anthony Cullen. Look at me."

I looked her way; grateful I had my sunglasses on. She reached up and pushed them off my face, though. She knew I couldn't look at her and lie. Damn it.

"Now, I'll ask you again. Are you okay?" Her patient brown eyes bore into my skull. It was like she could fucking read my thoughts. I caved immediately.

"Of course I'm not okay! We're having a daughter. A daughter, Bella. Girls are fucking scary. They're moody and unpredictable. She's going to hate me because I won't let her date a guy like me. I'm being punished for all the girls I wronged before you came along."

I waited for the inevitable explosion, but all I got was a twitch of her lips. "Sounds like a country song."

See? Even Reed Girl was fucking unpredictable. She should be yelling at me, or crying or some damn thing. Not being all calm and semi-amused, even though she was often that way before hormones came along.

"So, you think you're being punished because you hooked up with a lot of women?"

"Of course! I treated girls badly, so now I'm getting a girl I have to worry about twenty-four-seven. What if a guy like me comes along?"

Reed Girl tilted her head and smiled at me. "Well, I imagine she'll have a really good time bringing out his softer side, just like I did."

I blew out a frustrated breath, and she reached up to touch my cheek.

"You didn't turn out so bad, Edward. And even if she doesn't luck out, like I did, we'll make sure that she has the tools to deal with whoever comes along. She'll have the benefit of both of our experiences to draw on."

I closed my eyes when she stroked her fingers up and into my hair. "I don't want our kid to hurt, ever. Not physically, like Danny, or emotionally."

"But she will, Edward. She'll fall off her bike and scrape her knee. She'll slide into second base and sprain her ankle. And yes, one day she'll get her heart broken by a boy-or girl… Who can say at this point? We can't protect her from any of that. All we can do is pick her up when it happens, dust her off, and help her get back on that bike, or on the field, or even into dating."

I relaxed into her touch. "It would be a lot better if we homeschooled her before sending her to a convent."

Reed Girl let out a little giggle. "If that's what she wants, that's what we'll do. But it will be _her_ choice. Not her overprotective daddy's."

I opened my eyes and saw her smiling fondly at me.

"Tell me something. If we had a son and he fell off his bike, what would you do?"

I shifted under her patient gaze. "You know what I'd do. Just what you said. But it's different when it's a girl. Jesus, Bella, you fucking kill me when you cry. What do you think our baby girl will do to me?"

"I think she's going to own your heart in a way that even I can't. And that terrifies you. That's normal."

I took the hand that was stroking my face and kissed it. "You completely own me."

"I know." She leaned forward and gave me a gentle kiss. "And so will she. And any other children we have. You have an incredible heart with plenty of room for love, Champ. Discovering that was my favorite part of falling for you. Have as much faith in yourself as I do. You're going to be a great father to a wonderful little girl. She's going to love you, and every man that comes along will be compared to you. I almost feel sorry for them."

I had to smirk at that. "You should, because I'm going to scare them all away."

She laughed. "I look forward to seeing you try. Now, I don't know about you, but my phone has been ringing off the hook for the past hour or so."

I laughed. "Mine, too. Who first?"

She rolled her eyes. "You know damn well that if we tell anyone but your mother first, she'll find out and make us pay for it."

"Make _me_ pay for it, you mean. You can do no wrong right now." But I started the car and turned on the Bluetooth, calling up my mother's cell.

"It's about time! What are we having?"

 _We?_ I didn't say a word, just gestured for Reed Girl to take the lead, putting my right hand on the stereo knob for safety's sake. I knew what was coming.

"It's a girl!"

Mom and Reed Girl both let out unholy shrieks. Luckily I flipped Mom down to minimum volume just in time since I had mad reflexes. Bella smacked at my hand and turned the volume back up, luckily after my mom's screaming had tapered off.

"Oh my God, I knew it! I just knew it! Finally, a little baby girl Cullen. You know, I wanted Edward to be a girl so badly that I dressed him up a time or two in the cutest little dress that I couldn't resist-"

"What the fuck, Mom?" Now I was yelling. Jesus fucking Christ. She put me in a dress?

"Oh, I forgot you were there."

Of course she fucking did. Now that she had Bella and her future granddaughter, I was nothing but the sperm donor. Put me right out to fucking pasture. I was done.

"It was really nothing, dear. I just needed to pretend for a couple minutes, take a few pictures, that sort of thing."

Pictures? "Where the fuck are those pictures? You better have thrown those out!" Maybe Dad had found them and gotten rid of them. He wouldn't stand for her emasculating his son that way.

"Who knows? They don't matter anymore. I have a granddaughter on the way. Bella, I saw the cutest little dress for Christmas for her next year. I'll buy one in every size so we're covered. It's green and red checks with this adorable almost tutu-like bottom. Oh! We can get her little ballet slippers to go with them!"

And they were off. It gave me time to ruminate on the fact that my mom had dressed me like a girl. Did Emmett know? Did Emmett have the pictures? No. Surely he would have used that shit against me by now. He must never know. I couldn't deal with that shit.

Mom kept up a constant squealfest the entire way home. Clearly she was shopping as we spoke because she was describing all these little girl outfits and decorating ideas to a fucking T. I'd have cut that shit off, but my wife was fucking beaming with joy and cooing along with every new description.

We got home, and I shot Bella a look.

"Mom, we have to go. We're home, and Edward needs to get back to practice; plus we have to make a few more calls."

"Of course! I'll just e-mail you some of these decorating suggestions. And pictures of the clothes. I'm so excited!"

"Sounds good! I'll call you back in a bit," Bella promised her.

"Bye! We're having a girl!"

Seriously, not a goodbye for her son. I was the forgotten child now.

"Who should we call next?"

Before I could even answer, Bella's phone rang. "Alice," she murmured.

She didn't even answer with a hello, just: "It's a girl!" and more shrieking commenced. Either Blondie was with her or Shorty made enough noise for several people. I wouldn't be remotely surprised.

And it took all of thirty seconds for my phone to buzz with an incoming text from my brother. All it said was: _HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA_

Fucker. Just wait and see. Apparently all Cullens were _not_ boys, which meant he could have a girl, too. I reminded him of that very fact with my answering text.

_Not cool, bro. Not cool._

Ha! If karma with girls had anything to do with me having a girl, then Emmett was going to have twin girls at the very least. Maybe triplets or quads. He'd been a billion times worse than I had, and he'd fucking taught me to be like him. Double girl-juju on his ass. I pointed all of that out. He didn't respond, probably because he'd passed out in sheer terror. Or maybe he'd run off to get a vasectomy.

Meanwhile, Jasper got in touch. Apparently all four of them had nothing better to do than wait around to find out the sex of our baby. Fucking weirdos.

_I'm so happy for you. Sugar and spice and everything nice! More kittens and rainbows in all of our lives. I'll paint her a mural in her room._

I didn't even want to see what the fuck he'd paint for my daughter. He actually was a decent artist, but it was dangerous.

Another text came through.

_Seriously, congratulations. A baby girl is such a blessing. She's going to have every single one of us wrapped around her little finger, especially her daddy. You're going to be the most important man in her world. Nothing you do will ever be as important as that. And you're going to rock it. Call me later if you need to talk._

Okay, maybe Jasper could paint her a mural. I texted him thanks while Bella wrapped up with the girls with more promises to call back shortly. No doubt after she was rid of me, so they could talk about if I'd lost my shit or not. I knew those girls.

"Should we call my dad now or wait?"

"May as well get it done. He's probably friends with my mom on Facebook, and she's probably already posted that shit for the world to see, along with hiring a skywriter."

Reed Girl giggled. "She's excited. She's always wanted a girl."

I groaned. "Clearly." I shuddered. "Don't ever tell anybody about that dress shit. I can't believe she did that."

"Can't you? Don't worry, baby. Your secret life as a woman is safe with me."

I poked her side while she laughed uncontrollably. "Very funny, woman. Suck it up and call your dad. I'm late."

Coach might give me shit, but he'd understand. He had a daughter himself.

She put us back on speaker as her dad's gruff voice came over the line. "Hello."

"Hi, Dad!"

"Bells! How was the doctor?"

She glanced at me. "It was good. We're having a girl."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and I waited to see how he'd handle it. He'd been even more excited about a future NFL grandson than I'd been.

"That's great, Bells. She's going to be as pretty as her mom, who was the prettiest baby ever born."

Christ. She _was_ going to be pretty. Between Bella's genes and mine? She'd be gorgeous. Fucking hell. I'd have to beat the boys off with a stick. I really did need to look into homeschooling. Or all-girls schools. Although, I'd met some girls who'd gone to those in college. To say those girls were out of control was an understatement. Nope, that wouldn't work.

"How's Edward holding up?"

I shook myself out of the image of me fending off a horde of horny teenage boys.

"I'm good, Charlie."

He laughed. "Bullshit. You're scared shitless. And you should be."

Some fucking pep talk.

"That's real helpful, Charlie."

"There's nothing scarier than having a little girl, except when it comes to having to let her walk out the door with the man you know is going to take her away."

I was going to hyperventilate. I couldn't fucking breathe.

"Dad. She's not even born yet. You don't need to fill his head with thoughts of her dating or getting married. And, if I recall correctly, you practically handed me to Edward when you met him. You'd have had us married that first weekend if you'd had your way."

That was true. That calmed me somewhat. Then again, Charlie had been in love with my athletic skills and celebrity. That most certainly wasn't going to impress me. No, whatever fucker sniffed around my daughter was going to have to be pretty fucking astounding to impress me. He'd have to be a prince or a president or some shit.

Charlie cleared his throat. "Well, that was different."

Reed Girl laughed. "Sure it was. We have plenty of time to work up to boys and dating, Daddy. No need to jump ahead fifteen years."

Fifteen? Was she insane? "Twenty at the least. Maybe thirty. It won't be an issue because I won't let it be."

Charlie chuckled. "Don't worry, son. I'll get you a gun when she hits her teens."

"Okay, no more boys and guns. We've gotta go, Dad. Edward has to practice. We'll talk to you soon."

"Beat the Rams for me! My Hawks need to maintain their lead in the division."

I laughed. "Sure, Charlie. I'll take care of them just for you."

"That's all I ask, son. And don't worry; I'll help you keep the boys away."

Reed Girl shook her head, but I smiled. "I'm counting on it, Charlie."

We signed off, and Reed Girl rested her head on my shoulder. "You're not freaked out again, are you?"

I shrugged. "Not really. Maybe a little, but realistically I know it's not going to be an issue for a long while. And when she hits her teens, I'm still going to be playing football, which means I'll have fifty-two big, scary teammates to help me intimidate whoever comes along. Not to mention your dad, my brother, Jasper, my dad, Blondie, Shorty… We'll be good."

Reed Girl laughed. "God help her. She's going to have a pretty intimidating wall around her. It'll take a special guy to even try to get through."

"Nobody will dare."

She kissed my cheek. "We'll see."

"Did you want to call your mother?"

She shook her head. "She's the one person who hasn't called or texted today. I'll give her a call later, but I'm sure she's doing her own thing. It's fine."

I pulled her into my arms. "I'm sorry she's so self-centered."

"I'm not. I have more than enough people who are there for me. I learned what not to do through her, and your mom has taught me about the type of mom I want to be."

"You're going to be a great mom, baby. Though, I wouldn't emulate my mom too much. She forgot I was alive there when she heard she had a granddaughter on the way."

Reed Girl giggled. "Maybe for a minute, but she'll remember soon enough. You've given her the best gift she'll ever get. You'll be the favored son, at least until Emmett does the same."

That was a good point. That kind of ruled. Emmett would be jealous as hell.

"I would say we should call your dad, but I know he's working."

I snorted. "No, you know that my mother has probably already told him. I bet she texted his ass while she was talking to you. It's all good. I'll let him give me shit later."

Sure enough, my phone vibrated with an incoming text from my father.

_Congratulations, son. You've made your mother's, and my, day. We're so happy for you. I have to get back to work because your mother is in the process of bankrupting me while she buys up every baby item ever made. My granddaughter is going to be the most unspoiled, spoiled child ever. And she's going to rule us all, you the most. I can't wait. I'll call you later._

I showed the text to Reed Girl, and she smiled. "We have a wonderful family."

"We do." And I expected all of them to help me keep the boys away. It was on all of us, now. It takes a village, right?


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N Happy Mother's Day! It's also National Clean Up Your Room Day, which I wouldn't recommend suggesting to your mom, but maybe your kids if you are a mom. That's always a good present, right? Speaking of, I just got back from the grocery store, which was about three times as busy today, shocker. Lots of men wandering around picking up flowers, cards, and balloons. Many with little ones in tow. Cracked me up. Nothing like waiting til the morning of!**

**Once again, the NFL is in the news, for reasons I am NOT going to rehash. I think it's insane. But that's neither here nor there. Recently, there have been several sweet stories that most of you probably didn't see. First, a little girl in the north, WI or MN I believe, who has a disease, invited a bunch of kids to her birthday party and none were going to come. So her mom reached out on Facebook, things went viral, and a ton of people showed up at her party in the park, including two NFL players whose wives had seen the stories. Neither wanted publicity for it, and I think it's awesome that they took the time to help give this child a party she'll never forget. Also, one of the Jacksonville Jaguars took a girl who had cancer to her prom in a Lamborghini. And the Eagles had a boy who'd been bullied for losing his hair due to cancer over to their facility for practice and a good time (that sounds awfully familiar!) I'd much rather hear about those stories than another word about deflategate, which is a stupid name btw. Take note, media, there are FAR better things to talk about.**

**Last week, several of you pointed out something that I'd forgotten to mention! The world has a new princess and what's good enough for the royal family ought to be good enough for the Cullens! hehe Let's see what some teammates have to say about it, why don't we? And seeing as it's Mother's Day, the mama-to-be ought to get a present or twelve! Enjoy and I'll see you next week with more. Have a great one!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 35

I walked into the team meeting, which stopped abruptly when all eyes turned to me. What the fuck?

"Well?" Coach asked, grinning at me. "What are we having?"

I blew out a breath. More of this, apparently. "A girl."

Colin's face lit up in a big grin, and before he even started, I pointed a finger at him. "Don't even say it. You're not getting near my kid-not now, and not in twenty years."

He laughed. "I wasn't thinking of me; I was thinking of Paul. He might be ready to settle down by the time she's legal."

Paul sent me his wolfish grin. "The man does have a point. And if she looks anything like your wife-"

Fuck that noise. "I'd hate to have to kill you, but we only have a few games left. I'd be willing to make the sacrifice. We can draft your replacement in April."

Paul just chuckled and waggled his eyebrows at me.

"Okay, you've had your fun. Congratulations, Cullen. Now, can we get back to the Rams?" Coach demanded.

I took my seat next to Sammy, who clapped me on the back. "Congratulations, man. I'm so happy for you guys."

At least he kept it clean. "Thanks. I'm scared shitless." I could admit it Sammy, at least.

He nodded. "Of course you are. There are way more things to worry about with girls. Don't worry, man. I got your back. We'll keep the boys away-especially Paul. He'll be an ancient ass by then anyway."

He said that loud enough for Paul to hear and got flipped off for his comment, but it made me smile. Coach shot us a look, and I decided I should probably focus on the game plan. I had a long time to plan my defense against all the males in the universe; for now, I'd focus on the Rams.

After the meeting, Coach called me to the front. "How are you holding up, Cullen?"

I wasn't sure in what sense he was asking. "My arm feels great. I'm ready."

He shook his head. "No, I mean about the baby. You looked a bit terrified when you said you were having a daughter."

I shrugged. "I mean, it is what it is, right? I admit that I'm a little nervous about it. Up until my Bella came along, I didn't really spend much time with girls." The look of disbelief on his face had me clarifying. "I mean, outside of the bedroom." Fuck. I could be honest. "Girls served one purpose to me then, and once that was done, so was I."

He chuckled. "And now you're worried about guys-ones with the same intentions you had-coming after your daughter, before she's even born."

I admit, it sounded stupid when he said it like that.

"I get it. I've been there. Hell, my daughter got involved with one of my players. Nightmare city, right?" He grinned. "Until I remembered that I was his boss, literally in charge of him. Then I had a lot of fun."

I had to laugh with him. I was glad he got it, though. "That would be awesome."

"It was. And actually, he's a very good guy. I raised my daughter to love and respect herself first and to demand that from any man who came along. I expect you'll do the same. And don't be afraid to intimidate the shit out of any boy she brings home. If he's quality, he'll come back, because like my daughter, your daughter will be worth facing a scary father for."

"I told Bella we should homeschool her and then send her to a convent."

Coach let out a loud belly laugh. "It sounds good in theory, but you of all people should know, kids find a way. You can't worry that far ahead; just focus on the here and now. I know the idea of a girl is scary, but that'll all change the first time you lay eyes on her. She'll become your entire world. Take my word on that, Cullen."

"Okay, Coach. Thanks."

"No problem. Now get your ass on the field. We have work to do."

Pep talk officially over. But he was right. I had to focus on the here and now. There was a game to be played.

Xoxoxoxoxo

"You're not heading home yet, are you?"

I glanced over at Sammy as I slid my wedding ring back on. "I was planning on it. Why?"

"Because, man, you just found out you're having a baby girl. We have to celebrate."

I shook my head. "Dude, I'm not in the mood to drink or anything. I have to get home to Bella. We're going to look at houses online and stuff."

He chuckled. "I wasn't talking about a drink. Come on. You just found out what you're having. You can't go home empty-handed. We have to get Bella a present."

Huh. I guess he had a point. "Like flowers or something?"

Sammy rolled his eyes. "No. Come on. Trust me."

So I followed his ass to the closest shopping center. I laughed when I saw that we were pulling up to a local sports store.

"Really?"

"Pretty sure your daughter's first team-related stuff should come from her quarterback daddy, right?"

That was a good point. My mom was already buying up everything imaginable, no doubt. I could be the one to first physically give my baby something, other than life, of course. Reed Girl would love that.

"Let's do it."

So, we went into the store, which was like ninety-five percent Giants and Jets gear. Just what we needed. There was a whole baby section. It was pretty fucking cool. I even saw some baby jerseys with my number. I had one of those in my hands before I could even focus on anything else.

"Shit, what size do I get?"

"Fuck if I know. Look at the tag," Sammy suggested.

I did and discovered that it did months. Six to nine months was a long time off. I rifled through the jerseys and found one that was three to six. That would probably be okay. She would be that age when the season started.

There was a shitton of pink, which I guessed was normal, but I gravitated to the stuff that was actually team colors.

"Check this out." Sammy held something out to me.

I had no earthly idea what the fuck a creeper was, but the little blue outfit had a ruffle thingy that almost made it look like a cheerleader skirt, even though the bottoms were clearly visible. And it came with a bib that said Daddy's Girl in pink with the Giants name in white below it. So it had a little pink, but mostly blue and white. I grabbed that shit right away.

"That's perfect." Reed Girl would flip over it. And the baby was going to be my girl. Mine, and no one else's. May as well establish that right from the start.

I found another creeper thingy that had the red along with the blue-the skirty thing was red, and it said Love Giants in a heart with the NY logo. It came with a bib and matching shoes or booties or whatever the fuck they were called.

"That's cute as hell," Sammy decided, checking it out.

It was newborn size too, so she should be able to wear it right away. I added that and a three-pack of onesies, creepers, what the fuck ever they were called, that were in red, blue, and gray, with different writing but all with the NY logo.

"This one is from me." Sammy held up another skirted creeper thing, in red and blue, with "NY Giants cutie" on it.

"That works."

"Now are we completely anti-pink? Because…"

He held up this pink-and-white skirty thing. It had a bow around the waist and a headband as well. It was the girliest fucking thing I'd ever seen and completely not my style, but I had a feeling Reed Girl would love it. And if it was the only all-pink thing, that wouldn't be so bad. I added it to the pile.

Next was pajamas. There were some footed ones in blue that said "I love my Giants" in white with some red trim around it. I grabbed that in two sizes, since she'd probably like it for winter as well. It seemed warm. That made me add a hat and mittens to the bunch as well.

"Dude, look at this!" Sammy held up a blanket that actually looked like a football. It was cool as hell.

"We're getting that. It's awesome."

A football bib, socks, and beanie all went with it, so we got those as well.

"You know, I'd have to kick your ass if you ever told anyone I said this, but this is actually kind of fun." No wonder my mother was bankrupting my father as we spoke. I was going to deplete my own bank account at the rate I was going.

"It is. It should be. Shit, look at that." He pointed toward a giant Giants helmet for the wall. "You can even decorate the whole room if you want. They probably have cribs and shit."

"Probably, but that might be a bit much, especially since she's a girl. I can just hear my mother now." Though it would serve her right if I did my daughter's room all up in football shit. That's what she'd get for putting me in a dress.

"Yeah, but it's cool. And I agree with you. It _is_ fun."

We had a lot of fun. We got blankets and bottles and pacifiers and all sorts of crap. Between the two of us, we easily dropped a thousand bucks or so. But I didn't care. I knew it was only the start for what I'd be spending on my daughter. She was going to have the best of everything, if I had anything to say about it. And I did, because I was her dad.

The cashier simpered over how cute everything was and congratulated me on my upcoming baby. We hauled our purchases outside, where Sammy put his in his car.

"I'll bring them over to dinner next week, give them to her myself."

"Sure." I slapped him on the back. "Thanks, man. This was what I needed."

He laughed. "Happy to help. I figure the women will outfit her in all the ruffles and dresses; it's up to us to make sure she's got the right team affiliations to display."

"Damn right. Another new Giants fan is on the way." I'd have to hit the internet myself. I could get some of this shit in Nole paraphernalia as well. My daughter was going to be decked out.

We went our separate ways, and I let myself into the house with all my bags in tow. Rainbow came running at me, but the place was quiet other than that.

"Reed Girl? Are you home?" Her car had been downstairs, so she should be here.

"I'm here. In the living room."

I found her sitting on the couch, a book on her lap. She smiled up at me. "Hey. How was practice?"

"Not bad." I set my bags on the floor next to her. "What are you up to?" I bent down and got a sweet kiss.

She blushed a little but held up the book. "Just looking." It was that baby name book that Jasper had gotten for us. _Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana: What to Name Your Baby Now. _I took it from her.

"I know it's early, and we just found out we're having a girl. But now we know, so I thought I could start looking. See what we liked."

I smiled at her. "I get it. But what's wrong with Montana?" Montana was an awesome name. The name of the best quarterback of all-time.

Reed Girl raised an eyebrow at me. "We are not naming our daughter after your favorite football player. Nothing is wrong with it, per se, but it means mountain. I don't want to name our daughter mountain."

Okay, maybe she had a point. "What about Joey? That one show had a girl named Joey. She could be Joey Montana Cullen." I liked it. It had a real ring to it.

Bella scrunched up her face. "First of all, that sounds like a boy's name, even if I agree it's kind of cute. But second, Joey was played by Katie Holmes, who was married to Tom Cruise. No."

I wasn't sure what she suddenly had against Tom Cruise, but her face looked quite set, so I didn't argue it. Perhaps there was some anti-Tom hormone inside her. Who knew?

I sat down next to her. "Okay, then, what do you have in mind?"

She shrugged. "Well, I was looking at E names, since that seems to be a common theme in your family. Emily, Emma, Elena, Elizabeth, stuff like that."

I shook my head. "Emmett will think we named her after him if we go with Emily or Emma. And the grandmonster is Elizabeth, so that's out. It doesn't have to be an E name, baby."

She smiled. "It was just a thought. What about you? Do you have any names in mind?"

I shook my head. Hell, I hadn't even thought of boys names when I'd been convinced we were having one. Did that make me a shitty father?

"Hey. What's that face?" She reached up and cupped my chin in her hand.

"I just realized that I hadn't thought of names at all. It made me feel bad."

She laughed and gave me a smacking kiss. "Don't. We've had a lot on our plates lately. And we have plenty of time to think of names. I just wondered if you'd ever thought about it."

I raised an eyebrow at her, making her laugh again.

"Which, now that I think about it, was silly. You're the guy who didn't plan on being married for decades yet."

"One decade. Maybe." I grinned at her. "All that changed when you came along."

"Good thing." She snuggled into me. "Are there any names you hate?"

I shrugged. There were plenty, but I couldn't think of any off the top of my head, other than Tanya or Heidi, which I knew would be out for her for the same reason they were out for me.

"You know what I do hate?" At her questioning look, I continued. "Weird name spellings. We're not going to name our kid something normal and then spell it weird to be different. There was this girl in my high school. Her name was Amy, right?"

"Sounds normal enough."

I nodded. "It should have been, but do you know how she spelled it?"

"How?" Reed Girl asked, grinning as my tone got louder. I couldn't help it. That shit annoyed me. And it would annoy her once I spelled it.

"A-M-M-Y," I paused, for full effect.

"That's not so bad."

I shook my head. I'm not done yet. "A-M-M-Y-I-E. What the fuck is that, seriously?"

Reed Girl wrinkled her nose. "You're right. That is awful."

"Seriously. I would punch my parents in the fucking face if they did that to me. When I was older, that is. Nobody knew how the fuck to pronounce her name when they saw it on paper. They sure as shit didn't call her Amy. So, no weird spellings. Or weird names, period. We're naming her something normal." Kids were cruel, as that shithead Mark had reiterated at Thanksgiving. I wasn't giving other kids ammunition against my kid. No fucking way.

Reed Girl smiled and took my hand. "I happen to agree with you there, even if I'm not quite as passionate about it as you are. So, what's all that?" She gestured at the bags at our feet.

Shit. I forgot all about my purchases. I wasn't sure why, but the flutters came back into my stomach full-force as I reached over and brought them in front of her.

"I, well, Sammy and I went shopping after work, for the baby. He says congratulations, by the way. Everybody does."

Her eyes got a little damp-looking. "You went shopping for the baby? Really?" She was staring at me as if I'd just announced that we were moving to Mars or something. Was it that weird?

I shrugged a shoulder. "Well, yeah, I mean, it was technically Sammy's idea, but we figured that between my mother and you, she'd get all this frilly girl shit, so it was up to us that she maybe had some things that reflected us and the team and stuff."

A tear spilled over. "Can I look at it?"

Oh yeah. I was still clutching the bags to me. I handed them over and waited anxiously as she pulled out items one by one. Why she didn't just dump them all out was beyond me, but it was her show.

"Oh my God! This is so cute!" She held up the daddy's girl outfit and bib first. "Oh, Edward. It's beautiful." And with that, she burst into tears. Fuck.

I pulled her into my arms as she babbled about how sweet it was, and how it was the baby's first real present, and that her daddy loved her already and all sorts of shit. I just patted her and reminded myself that the hormones were going wild.

Rainbow hopped up on the side of the couch and looked at Reed Girl like she was nuts. Then she glanced at me. I just nodded and shrugged. Girls… What could I say? And I had double insanity to look forward to for the rest of my life. I hoped to God my daughter wasn't a huge crier. I'd fucking die.

I swear Rainbow shook her head before hopping right into the shopping bag. Of course. Rainbow was obsessed with bags. I wanted to kiss her, though, because Reed Girl finally stopped crying and laughed as Rainbow started batting at one of the booties inside. Rainbow was the fucking shit, I tell you.

"Sorry about that. It's just, you were so shocked about her being a girl this morning, but then you go out and get her presents. You really don't mind that she's not a boy, do you?"

I shook my head. "Of course I don't mind. Yes, I admit it was a shock, and it's a lot fucking scarier knowing that she's a girl, but I already told you that I loved her. Of course I do. She's ours."

"I know. And I love you." She kissed me. "Thank you for this."

"You're welcome. Now, how about you go through the rest of it, before Rainbow steals one of the blankets?" She totally would, too. Rainbow was a blanket hog. Any new blanket that came into the house was automatically hers. Fuck. I'd have to get doubles of every blanket the baby got, probably. It would be the safest move.

Reed Girl went back to oohing and ahhing over every little thing, snapping pictures with her phone. "I have to send these to your mother and the girls. They're going to die. It's so darling!"

Darling? Fuck me now. I'd allow for cute, maybe, but darling? At least I'd scored a win from the sound of it. Reed Girl was in love with every little thing I bought, even cooing over the pacifiers and bottles and shit.

"You went a little crazy, didn't you?" she asked with a smile once she'd piled everything up in neat stacks. Sure as shit, Rainbow abandoned the bag and burrowed into the football blanket.

"I'll get another one of those for the baby," I promised, making her laugh. "And yeah. There was so much stuff. Sammy and I were just grabbing shit and making piles. He has a few things for you, as well. He'll give them to you at dinner."

"Rainbow looks cute in the blanket. And that was sweet. Tell him thank you. I can't wait to see what he could have possibly gotten. It looks like you bought out the store."

"Babies need stuff. A lot of it. There were even cribs and shit. But I figured we'd get that together, and a Giants crib would probably be too much for a girl."

She laughed. "Probably. And yes, that's something we should definitely pick out together. I'm looking forward to it, though."

Surprisingly, so was I. "Me, too." But first things first. "We should probably figure out where we're living before we buy the big stuff."

I'd probably gone overboard with the baby stuff already. We were going to have to pack it all up to take with us. But Reed Girl's reaction had made it clear that I'd made the right decision. She needed to know that I wasn't upset that we were having a girl, and it seemed that now she did. You couldn't buy that kind of happiness. Or, I guess in a way, I had. But still. She was thrilled, and that was all that mattered.

"That would be a good idea," she agreed.

I grabbed my laptop and pulled up the sites I'd bookmarked. "I've narrowed the focus to Upper Montclair for now. Several of my teammates with families live there, and it's got a lot of nice places. I was thinking this one." I pointed to the most expensive one.

Reed Girl snorted. "What in the hell do we need with a ten-bedroom house, Cullen? And all that space? We'll get lost."

I shrugged. "I don't know. Our room, the baby's, an office, a gym maybe, a nanny's room, a guest room, and then any other kids we might have…" I trailed off at the smirk on her face. "What?"

"Just how many kids do you think we're having? I thought we'd said two or three. Not five."

"You get horny when you're pregnant. I like it. So what?"

She giggled. "You can make me horny when I'm not pregnant just as well. Ten bedrooms are too much. I don't care if we do have a housekeeper; we'd have to hire several just to clean the damn place. No."

"Fine." I didn't really like that house anyway. I'd just figured it was the most expensive, so we should consider it. Plus it had a gate, which was nice. Not a lot of houses in the area did for whatever reason.

I pointed out several more that we agreed to go look at. Five and six bedrooms. "The basement we could make into a gym, or maybe a music room for you or something." She didn't know it yet, but she was getting a piano for Christmas. Just because she wasn't going to be in the orchestra didn't mean she'd have to go without music, beyond the charity work. She'd need a place to practice.

"I like it," she agreed. I noticed her eyes lingered on the big gray six-bedroom that just happened to be my favorite. But I didn't say anything. We'd tour it and see.

"So, I'll call the realtor and set it up for next week. Maybe we can have things tied up before the new year and move in January." Weather permitting, of course. It had fucking snowed a few times already. It was pretty, but it sucked, too.

"I can't wait." Reed Girl threw her arms around me. "It's all coming together, isn't it?"

"It is." I pulled her onto my lap. "We've gone and grown up. How the fuck did that happen?"

"I was already grown up. And then I found you, took you under my wing, and brought you along for the ride. You're welcome, Cullen."

She burst out laughing when I tickled her sides. Then she shifted so she was straddling me, and laughter cut off as her lips found mine.

She was right, though. If it weren't for Reed Girl, I most certainly wouldn't be looking to buy a big house in the suburbs. I'd probably be out partying, hooking up with different nameless girls, just like I had before she came along. Nothing about that sounded appealing anymore. I ran my hand over the little baby bump that rested between us. This was much, much better. The best.


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N Happy National Mushroom Hunting Day! (I don't make this shit up, folks. If I did, I don't think even my mind would go there). More importantly, it's also International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, & Transphobia. I think that's something we should all get behind!**

**This week in the NFL...nope, don't wanna go there. Is the offseason over yet? No? Well, damn. I guess I'll just have to keep writing then! And seeing movies, bc it's that time of year. Saw PP2 the other day, was not nearly as good as the first one, sadly, yet I'm oddly happy that it's going to win the box office. Go musical girl power!**

**So, last week, several of you volunteered yourself for Sammy, which was quite sweet of you. The boy does need someone, I agree. Let's see what we can do about that! See my below for a word on next week. Happy reading and have a great week ahead!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 36

House hunting was a lot different than condo hunting. It just was. Houses in the area were way more traditional, not at all sleek and modern like our place was. Of course, that was the point. We weren't going to be the partying power couple I had kind of envisioned before the baby news broke. Not that I was complaining, because I wanted our house to feel like a place a kid could run and play and have friends over and shit.

For one thing, the houses weren't new. Some were as old as the early 1900s. Of course, in our price point, they were renovated and had all the new amenities that we wanted. It was different from Florida, too. The floors were all wooden, the houses were all different, not cookie-cutter subdivisions. That was good, for the most part.

"That house looks like a barn. No fucking way," I muttered to Reed Girl, making her giggle as we walked up the drive.

"It's not my taste from the outside, either, but it doesn't hurt to look," she murmured, making sure our realtor didn't hear. I didn't give a shit, though. I'd told him what we wanted, and he'd brought me to a barn? Fuck that noise.

"This delightful colonial is four bedrooms, three and a half baths, and three thousand, seven hundred fifty-nine square feet."

"So it's small, too."

Reed Girl laughed. "Only you would think that was small."

It was compared to the places I'd been looking at. My ten bedroom house was over six thousand square feet. Just saying.

If the outside hadn't been a turnoff, the inside was. Now, of course the owner couldn't be faulted for not having their furniture out of the house, but they damn well could be faulted for their crappy taste. It was old-fashioned and gold leaf and fussy beyond belief. They may have upgraded some shit, but it didn't look like it with their stuffy furniture. Reed Girl wrinkled her nose before plastering on a giant fake smile.

"As you can see, the kitchen-"

"Joe, this isn't for us. Sorry, but there's nothing about this place that I like." I had to interrupt him. What the fuck was wrong with this guy? He knew our style. He'd helped us find our condo, for fuck's sake. Reed Girl elbowed me, but really, what was the point in looking at the whole place? We hated it.

He looked a little shell-shocked, but he shrugged. "Okay. I didn't think so. I just thought I'd start at the lower end of what you were looking for."

I smirked. "So that the more expensive houses look better? Trust me, they do. And I'm not going cheap on our house. Take us to the good stuff."

He laughed. "I forgot how blunt you are."

Reed Girl sighed. "I'd apologize for it, but then I'd be doing nothing else for the entire time we spend together today."

"Whatever, baby. You like my honesty."

"Most of the time," she muttered, shaking her head.

"It's actually kind of refreshing," Joe said, leading us out of the crappy house. Seriously, who would pay one point one million dollars for that place? Certainly not us.

"At least I know where you stand. I don't have to wonder if you're going to make an offer on anything, for sure."

"I offer to take a sledgehammer to this one," I told Joe, making him and Reed Girl laugh.

"Okay, then, moving on."

The next house was on the same street and much better-looking on the outside. The first floor was wood and stone, the windows were nice, and it looked more like a place we could live.

"This is a Dutch colonial, six bedrooms, four baths, three thousand six hundred and ninety square feet. It's fully upgraded, with a fireplace, French doors, and an updated kitchen. Let's take a look."

I looked. And I knew right away it wasn't the place for us. Not without some work. While the floors were shiny and nice, it was closed off. Cramped. The kitchen wasn't open, which I knew Reed Girl wanted, so that if she was cooking, she could still be part of whatever else was happening in the house.

Joe took us upstairs, and the bedrooms were somewhat strangely shaped. The roof sloped in areas, and if I didn't watch it, I'd hit my fucking head on the ceiling in certain parts of the room.

"I don't think this house was designed for tall people."

Joe laughed. "Not super-tall ones, apparently. What do you guys think of it, other than the ceiling heights?"

I glanced at Reed Girl, who shrugged. "It's nice," she said. "I like the fireplace, but I'm not a fan of the kitchen."

Ha! I knew it.

"I don't think we'll keep this one on the list, unless my husband here is hiding his like behind that scowl."

I laughed and gave her a smacking kiss. "It's too closed off for us. Not our style at all."

Joe grinned. "Okay, let's try something else."

The next house was kind of cool from the outside. There was a long-ass porch that stretched almost all the way around the house. It wasn't screened in for Rainbow, but that would be easy enough to do, probably.

"This is a Queen Anne Victorian built in 1890."

Holy fuck. This was an old house.

"Fully renovated, five bedrooms, three and a half baths."

That always cracked me up. What the fuck was half a bath? Yes, I knew it meant toilet only, but it sounded stupid.

We went inside, and it was more of the same. The rooms were smaller than I liked, more closed off than I liked, and I knew Reed Girl felt the same. I mean, I could get this house, but we'd have to take out a few walls and shit. I didn't really want to deal with that crap if I didn't have to.

Joe didn't even bother to ask how we felt about this one; he just steered us out.

"Okay, we have two more places today, and I think you'll like these the most."

 _Then why not show us those first, dumbass?_ I didn't get realtors. It was like on that show that Reed Girl was fucking obsessed with. They were always showing people shit that sucked first, then taking them to something they couldn't afford, just to show them what life could be like if they had more money, and then back to a shitty place they'd have to settle for because they had no money. Well, I had money, damn it, and I didn't need to see the shitty places at all. Find me something I couldn't afford. I dare you to try, Joe.

"You're getting annoyed, aren't you?" Reed Girl asked as we drove to the next place.

"Sort of. I mean, why show us that shit when he knows we'll hate it?"

She laughed. "First, he didn't know that for sure. And second, it's to build up anticipation, I guess. If these final two are the ones that he thinks we might go for, then we'll forget all about the others."

"It's annoying."

I pulled up behind Joe and checked out the house in front of us. It wasn't terrible, but I didn't like the outside overly much. Two stories, of course, and it was yellow and white. We got out of the car, and I took Reed Girl's hand in mine.

"This one was built in 1902, and it's a Classic Revival Craftsman."

Whatever the fuck that meant.

"It's got seven bedrooms, five baths and it's just about thirty-four hundred square feet. They're asking one point three five million."

"I like how private it seems," Reed Girl observed.

I agreed with that. It was set back from the road quite a bit, and there were lots of trees and shit around. It felt almost private.

"The garage is detached." Well, that was kind of annoying, but I could live with it.

Joe took us inside, and I had to admit, this was much better than the last one. The kitchen was on the small side, but everything was well done. There were a lot of windows, and I really liked the formal sitting-room area. It was cool for socializing, anyway.

The back porch was screened in, which made me smile.

"I could see Rainbow sitting out here for hours on end," Reed Girl murmured.

She totally fucking would. "Yeah, this would be her space, for sure."

There were porches all over the fucking place, which was pretty cool. Some were even attached to a couple of the bedrooms.

"There are really two masters here, and they connect. You might like something like that with your baby at first."

At first, yeah. Not so much when she was mobile and shit, though. I didn't want her walking in on her mother and me fucking or anything.

"It's really pretty," Reed Girl said when we were done.

I had to agree. "Much better, Joe. The kitchen was a little small, and I'm not overly fond of the master bedrooms being connected, but it's definitely something I could live with."

Reed Girl smiled at me. "We could keep this one on the list?"

"Sure, baby."

"Good! I'm glad you liked one, finally. But I am saving what I think is the best for last. This is the one you seemed to like, Edward."

My gray house? Hot damn. It was way bigger than this one, too. We hopped in the car and followed Joe to the house.

"Wow. It's really pretty. And I love the circular drive," Reed Girl observed as we pulled up.

"Yeah, I thought that was nice. We'll have plenty of room if we have people over for sure."

"This one is a lot more modern than the other houses we've seen. It's a Colonial and was built in 1957, renovated this year. It's six bedrooms, five and a half baths, and fifty-five hundred square feet."

Yeah, way bigger than the other houses we'd seen today.

"It's huge," Reed Girl observed as we headed inside.

I kept my thoughts to myself as Joe did his spiel. I'd known before we came that this was the house I wanted, but it was really up to Reed Girl. I'd never get anything she didn't like. It was just…this place was just much better. The rooms were wide open, with the formal dining and family room part of the same big space. Of course, we didn't have to put a table there if we just wanted to have a huge living area.

The kitchen was fucking huge, and while it wasn't completely open, it was mostly open, with two large walkways that led into the living areas.

"Oh, look at the little breakfast-nook space. It's built-in!" Yeah, my wife sounded fucking reverent right now. She loved things like built-in seating and window seats. And this place had both. But I'd let her wait and see that when we got there.

Both the living and family rooms had fireplaces, which was fucking awesome as far as I was concerned. The best thing about living in the cold was having fireplaces in my mind. This room was wide open to the kitchen, unlike the formal living room. This is where we'd likely spend most of our time and where the current owner had the TV above the fireplace. That's what we'd do, too.

There was a guest bedroom with a private bathroom on the first floor, which would work well when parents were visiting.

Reed Girl gasped when we got to the second floor and she saw the huge window seat lining the hallway. It was legit like ten feet long, under an arched window.

"Oh, Edward," she murmured. I knew, like me, she could totally see herself curled up reading a book in front of the window. And one day not too far off, reading to our daughter. It was an awesome fucking picture in my mind.

Joe smiled but wisely didn't say anything. Why talk when the place was selling itself?

The master bedroom had a set of French doors leading out to the porch. The top part wasn't screened in, but the bottom floor looked to be so. There was some random white decorative crap up that I planned on ripping down. That would be perfect for Rainbow and still give us outdoor space if we wanted.

"There's a sitting room," Reed Girl said, eyeing that little area to the side of the master.

"A perfect place to put a crib, if you were so inclined."

From the look on her face, I could tell that she was so inclined. We'd have to talk about that one. It'd be fine when she was really little, but what about when we wanted to have sex? I would not be comfortable doing that with my daughter in the room, even if she was just a baby.

"The closet is huge," Reed Girl said, again sounding like she'd walked into the Sistine Chapel. I wanted to yell out in triumph, but I held back.

The master bathroom was fucking awesome, with a standalone tub that looked like it belonged at some fancy spa. The shower had two huge waterfall heads, which meant plenty of room for both of us at the same time, which of course I loved. The floor was marble or some shit, and everything was light and clean and just phenomenal in my mind. But still, I kept my mouth shut.

We went down to the basement, which was fucking huge. It was perfect for a gym and had two other rooms that could be bedrooms, or offices, or whatever the fuck we wanted, really. We ended the tour with the backyard, which was mostly fenced. I'd probably extend it a little bit, once our baby was mobile, just so she couldn't wander. There wasn't much in the way of landscaping, but that was easy enough to do.

"So, that's the tour. What do you think?"

"It's beautiful." Reed Girl looked at me. "You've been awfully quiet. What do you think?"

I pulled her close to me. "I think it's home, if you like it. There's hardly anything we'd have to change. I'd want to get this backyard fully fenced once the baby is ready to play back here, and plant some trees and shit, but that's about it."

"Yes. It's perfect, isn't it? I can just see us in there, eating breakfast on that cute little built-in bench or playing with the baby on the floor in front of the fire. And the window seat! I mean, it's got to go on the list, right?"

I tugged her away from Joe, giving him a nod to let him know we needed a minute.

"Baby, as far as I'm concerned, this _is_ the list. We can keep looking, if you want, but this place was the one I liked the most from my online searches, by far. It's more us than those other places."

"It is." She looked up at me, hope shining in her beautiful brown eyes. "You want it, then?"

"I want it if you want it. I'll be content anywhere. You know me."

She laughed. "You wouldn't have been content in that first house."

I snorted. "That's because it fucking sucked. Okay, let me amend my statement. I'm content _almost_ anywhere that isn't cramped and old-fashioned and barn-like."

She grinned. "That's more like it. So, should we make an offer?"

"Let's. This is our house, Reed Girl. Let's make it happen."

She gave me a smacking kiss. "We're going to make an incredible life here."

"We'd make an incredible life wherever we were, but I'm glad it's going to be here. I love you, Reed Girl."

"I love you, too, Champ."

So, we walked back Joe and I told him to make it happen. I'd pay full ask if they wanted, one point eight five million, but since they'd just reduced the price, I had a feeling I could get a better deal. We needed to call in an appraiser and all that shit, but this was it. This was our home.

Xoxoxoxox

"I can't believe you guys found a place that fast." Sammy shook his head. "I can't believe you're only twenty-one and buying a house. I feel like such a slacker."

"That would be because you are." I snagged the ball that he chucked at my head out of the air. "I knew when I saw it online that that was the one for us. It has everything we wanted, it's located in a good spot for kids, there's like three parks close by, and it just feels right. It's a little overpriced, but the realtor is pretty confident they're going to accept my offer, or at least counter a little lower. If I have to step up, I will. That's our fucking house."

"And there's plenty of room for your favorite teammate, should he need to crash after a Monday Night Football game?" He batted his eyes at me.

"Oh, yeah, Paul can stay over anytime." I snickered as he swung at me. "Just kidding. Yeah, there's a ton of space. Bella's in love with it already." She'd been perusing furniture stores last night while we chilled in bed. Well, until I interrupted her for sex, that is. We had a lot of rooms to fill with furniture, and she was thrilled about it. Not a surprise.

"She had her first charity thing today, right?" He bent to stretch his legs. Practice had been fairly light after our Rams' victory on Sunday. We'd be amping up tomorrow though.

I nodded. "Yeah. Well, it was just meeting with a principal and teachers at a local school. I need to give her a call and find out how it went."

We headed into the locker room, and I grabbed my phone. Sure enough, I had a text.

_Meeting is running long, and I'm not in the mood to cook. Would Sammy mind terribly if we met somewhere for a bite?_

"Hey, man, do you care if we go out to dinner instead of my place? Bella's stuff ran late."

"No problem. Food is good anywhere. It's the company I'm after. Our girl is going to be there, right?"

I texted Reed Girl back, asking where she wanted to meet.

I rolled my eyes at his mischievous grin. "My girl is going to be there, yes. You need to get your own, loser."

He sighed. "I know, I know. It's hard out there for a handsome, rich athlete like me. All the good ones are taken. What's a guy to do?"

"Get really familiar with his hand, I guess." I snickered when he tossed his sweaty shirt at me. "Sorry, I'm taken."

"Dick. Just for that, I'm going to doubly enjoy your wife's kisses and hugs when I give her the baby gifts tonight. You can stew in your jealous juices."

I was very tempted to enlighten him on the juices that I'd be partaking in once I got my wife alone, but I bit the comment back. I just couldn't share the shit that Bella and I did. She was better than locker-room talk, which was ironic, considering our first time had been in a locker room. Still an awesome memory.

"I'll get way more than that once we get home, buddy. So enjoy the little bit you do get. I'll be thinking of you when I…wait, no I won't." I headed to the showers, shooting a grin over my shoulder.

"You're mean, Cullen. I don't think I like you anymore."

I shrugged. "Okay. I'll head to dinner alone, then."

"Dick. I'm coming."

"No, you're not. Isn't that the problem?" This time, he managed to nail me in the back with a balled-up towel because I wasn't looking. It was clean, so I picked it up. "Thanks."

He laughed. "Anytime. I'm going to go clean up so I can look good for the ladies."

"I didn't know they'd invented magic showers that could change a person's looks. Good for you."

That comment earned me a flip of the bird, but he headed to his own shower. Good. I wanted to get cleaned up and get to my wife.

After my shower, I dressed and checked my phone.

_We stopped by Buffalo Wild Wings after we got done. Still here. Just wanna meet here? I brought one of the teachers with me. She's cool._

"BW's okay with you? Bella's already there with some teacher she met today."

"Is she hot?" At my look, he shrugged. "I had to ask. Yeah, that's fine. I could go for some wings and beer."

I texted back, and we headed out. We walked into the place, and the volume level, which was quite loud, dropped to pure silence other than the TVs.

"Two New York Giants walk into a sports bar… Sounds like the beginning of a pretty good joke," Sammy muttered, making me laugh.

I scanned the staring crowd, my eyes lighting on my wife in one of the back booths. I had a feeling her choice of location was to give us some semblance of privacy. I nudged Sammy, and we made our way over, although we got stopped several times by people wanting autographs. I signed hats and shirts and napkins. Reed Girl just grinned at me and shook her head.

"Guess I should have rethought the venue," she said when we finally got to her.

"Don't worry. We like to bask in the adulation. Hey, beautiful." Sammy kissed her cheek before handing her a gift bag. "This is for you and my future daughter-"At my elbow in his ribs, he broke off. "Daughter-in-law, provided I ever procreate, thank you very much."

"We both know you weren't going to say that." I nudged him out of the way and kissed my wife. "Hi, baby."

"Hi, Champ. Thank you, Sammy. I'll open this later. Edward, Sammy, this is Emily Sutton. She teaches second grade at the school I'll be starting the music program with. Emily, this is my husband Edward and his teammate, Sammy Maddux."

"It's nice to…" I glanced over when Sammy's voice died off. He was just gaping at the chick like he'd never seen a woman before.

I looked her way for the first time, and I got why he appeared to be struck dumb. She was, as he'd hoped, hot. She had long black hair and light blue eyes, tan skin, and what appeared to be a pretty killer body. Not that she had anything on my wife, but she was beautiful.

"Hi." I offered my hand. "Excuse my teammate. He's taken one too many hard hits in practice."

She shook my hand and smiled. "Are you sure it was practice? Because I saw that hit Slater put on him on Sunday. It looked brutal."

Sammy's expression was comical. It morphed from stunned, to disbelieving, to dazed all in the course of a few seconds.

"It was. I mean, it is. I mean, you like football?" His voice got so high, it sounded like his balls hadn't dropped yet.

I slid into the booth next to my Reed Girl and prepared to enjoy the show.

"What's not to like? I bleed blue," she told him, throwing her hair over her shoulder. He gulped when she adjusted the strap of her dress.

"I think Sammy really needs to get laid," I whispered in Reed Girl's ear.

"I think Emily might accommodate him," she murmured back. "She has a little bit of a crush."

I raised an eyebrow at her as Sammy slid into the booth next to Emily. "Is this a setup, baby?"

"It's a chance meeting. What they do with it is up to them." But from the satisfied smile on my wife's face, she was feeling pretty good about the chances.

Then again, so was Sammy, it appeared. He'd recovered his ability to speak and was grinning at Emily. He relived the hit with her, taking her through the play step by step.

"It was incredible that you managed to hold onto the ball," she complimented.

"Strong hands." He held them up, and I snorted out a laugh. It was like he was saying, _Look how big my hands are. So are other parts of me, wanna see?_ Thank fuck I didn't have to play that game anymore. Reed Girl knew what I was packing.

"So, Emily, you teach at the school where Bella's going to be volunteering?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation away from his appendages. I wanted to hear about how things had gone for my girl. Obviously pretty well, since she'd made another possible friend.

"Yes. We're really excited about it. I teach second grade, and several of my kids plan on being part of the program. I passed out a bunch of permission slips today. The parents are pretty psyched as well."

The waitress came over, and we ordered our drinks and appetizers to get started.

"So it went really well, baby?"

She grinned. "It was great! To start, we're talking about me doing an after-school program two or three times a week. Several of the teachers, including Emily, volunteered to help with it. I've got a line on a company that's willing to provide some instruments, provided I pimp them to parents who might want to buy their kids their own. I think it's going to be really wonderful."

"It really is. We've had to cut way down on the arts in schools. Teachers spend their own money on supplies more often than not. I'm picking up some glitter and paint for holiday projects when I leave here tonight."

I laughed when she used finger quotes around the words holiday projects. "You can't call it Christmas anymore, huh?"

She rolled her eyes. "Nope. Instead of being all-inclusive, which would be good and actually teach the children about other cultures, we have to ignore them all. So we're making snowflakes and snowmen and such, rather than Christmas trees or menorahs. Times have changed since we were kids."

"How long ago was that?" Sammy blurted suddenly. "I mean, how old are you?"

I shook my head at his lack of smoothness.

Lucky for him, Emily just laughed. "I'm twenty-five. How old are you?"

"Twenty-four. What I meant to ask was how long you'd been teaching."

Yeah, nice save, dude. Not. What was with my teammates becoming bumbling idiots around women? Well, other than Paul, that is. He was smooth as hell. Then again, Sammy usually was. He'd had that blond chick from our wedding eating out of his hand, after all.

"This is my third year. I love it, truly. I wanted to teach younger kids because they actually enjoy learning. I don't think I could deal with teenagers."

Who could blame her there?

The beer, water, and nachos arrived, so we ordered our main entrees and dug in. Reed Girl and Emily fell into conversation about the students and some of the other teachers. Sammy wiggled his eyebrows at me and kept cutting his eyes toward Emily, like he was asking me something.

"What?" I demanded, causing the girls to look my way.

Sammy just shook his head and stuffed his face full of nachos. Idiot. They went back to talking, and Sammy continued his gesturing. I felt like I was back in junior high.

I got my phone out and sent him a text.

_You look like you're having a seizure. What the fuck is your problem?_

He took his phone out and started typing.

_Do you see her? She's gorgeous. And she likes football. And kids. And she's gorgeous. What do I do?_

Yep, I was right. Junior high.

_You talk to her, just like you do every other girl. Have you been hanging out with Colin too much? Did you lose your game?_

Reed Girl shot me a look, and I just shrugged and smiled. I ate some more wings and sipped my water while Sammy typed away.

_She's not like other girls. She intimidates me. I don't know why._

I snickered. Been there, done that.

_Maybe she's your Reed Girl. Ask her to marry you._

His mouth fell open when he read my text, and I laughed.

"Are you two texting each other?" Reed Girl asked.

It was then that I realized that the girls had stopped talking and were just watching the two of us. Oops.

"Uh, no. We're giving Jennings shit. He had to change his phone number because your mother wouldn't leave him alone."

Reed Girl groaned. "Oh my God, Emily, let me tell you about that." And she launched into the story of her mother's cougar ways while Sammy sent me a grateful look. I was going to make his day even more in a minute.

After the girls laughed over Renee's antics, I made my move.

"So, Emily, do you ever get to any of our games?"

She shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. Ticket prices are a little bit out of my price range, unless I want to sit way up. I'd rather watch from home."

Sammy didn't pick up the ball I'd passed him. Some wide receiver he was. It looked like it was up to me.

"I could hook you up with some decent seats. Baby, do you want to go to the game this week?"

Reed Girl smiled at me. _She_ got what I was doing, at least. "I'd love to. Emily, do you want to come with me?"

"Really? That would be great. I imagine you can get good seats."

I laughed at that one. "I think I can manage that."

"And after we win, maybe we could take you lovely ladies to dinner to celebrate?" Sammy asked, finally getting in the game.

Emily grinned. "I like a confident man. Sounds like a plan to me."

He'd been anything but, thus far. But he gave me a thumbs-up, before sliding his arm along the back of the booth. "So, tell me more about you."

Reed Girl slipped her hand into mine. "Good job, Champ," she murmured softly.

"I never stop being his quarterback, even off the field. Gotta lead him everywhere," I said, making her laugh.

"He's lucky to have you." She leaned her head on my shoulder.

"He's lucky to have both of us, looks like. You did good, Mrs. Schemer."

"As did you, Mr. Schemer."

I kissed the top of her head. "Why do I get the feeling my teammates are all soon to be dating teachers?"

"We'll see. Everybody deserves a shot at what we have," she replied, tilting her head up and pursing her lips.

I gave her a kiss. "They can try, but we're pretty hard to beat."

"That's true." She smiled as she looked over at Sammy and Emily, who were deep in conversation. "We're unbeatable."

**A/N They are indeed! Looks like Sammy might have met his match, and indeed, Edward's teammates might be dating a lot of teacher types in the future. Reed Girl is such a matchmaker!**

**Okay, now I know this story is our happy place the majority of the time, so I'm going to give a warning for next week. Tissues will be required. And for my alarmists out there, it's not E &B related. Those two, as always, are solid. I'm sure most of you can deduce what might be coming. Plan accordingly! This story isn't going to take a huge sad turn, and it will really only be the next chapter that should make you cry tears of non-happiness. I don't do what I do next chapter lightly, but it's part of life and the way I saw things playing out. So, anyway, just be prepared, don't hate me, and remember it's all got a purpose. Love you!**


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N Happy Memorial Day Weekend! I know that makes many of us in America happy, because we're off work tomorrow. A shout out to all the military and their families. My dad served in the Air Force for 26 years, and I'm forever grateful to those that do. Say thanks to a vet if you can. Do you have any big plans to commemorate? Today is also apparently International Tiara Day, which works since E &B are going to have a little princess. **

**I forgot to mention that the house is in my FF profile, so if you want to take a look, you can. As well as see a link for what's coming next week. The sad isn't going to continue past this chapter, at least not much.**

**I love how many of you feared for Rainbow after my warning last chapter. Silly, she's directly part of E/B, so she wasn't part of the warning. But the love for her is heartwarming. As is the love for the character that many of you feared for as well. Trust me, I love him as much as you do, and it sucked writing what I did, but at the same time, I feel like what Edward does makes it worth doing. I've seriously never been prouder of one of my characters than I was him in this chapter. So, hopefully you'll agree with me.**

**Again I issue a TISSUE WARNING! You have been warned, so no yelling at me, please! I elected to leave that note last week so nobody would be blindsided (except those that skip AN's). Virtual hugs all around and I'll see you next week with some happier times. I promise!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 37

"There's nothing like a good ass-kicking to get me in the mood," Sammy said, laughing as we got back into the locker room.

I rolled my eyes. He was right, though. We had kicked ass. Thirty-four to thirteen, and it hadn't even been that close. The Bears had gotten a garbage TD right before the end of the game to make it look a little better.

"Sure it isn't the pretty teacher that has you in the mood?"

Sammy's grin lit up his whole face. "Do you think she liked the game? I was fucking awesome today, right? She has to be impressed and want me."

"Why ask me when you can ask her? They'll be meeting us right outside shortly, so get your ass in gear."

I took a shower, enjoying the way the spray loosened my tight muscles. I hadn't been hit much today, but the couple of shots I'd taken had been good ones. I cleaned up and got dressed, grabbed my wallet and phone out of my locker, and slid my ring back on.

While Sammy finished up primping, I checked my phone for messages.

_Great game, Edward! You were really good._

I smiled at Danny's message, firing off a text of thanks and telling him I hoped to see him soon. Only one game left in the season, and then we'd have some free time to move and relax a little bit.

Our offer on the gray house had been countered, which we'd countered back, and finally we'd agreed to one point six five million. We'd take ownership in thirty days. I couldn't fucking wait. Neither could Reed Girl. There were piles of catalogs on the coffee table, with little Post-its marking the shit she liked. She was having the time of her life planning where things would go in the house, and I loved watching her do it.

"I'm ready. Let's go."

I laughed as he looked at himself one more time. "Are you sure? Perhaps you should fuck with your hair one more time."

"Why? Does it look bad?" He glared at me when I snorted. "Ass. Just because you got your girl all locked up doesn't mean you can't take pity on the rest of us. It's been a long time since I've liked a woman this much."

"Clearly she likes you, too. How many hours have you spent on the phone since you two met?"

He smiled.

"Exactly. Chill out and be yourself. You'll be fine."

We headed out of the locker room, and there they were. I smiled when I saw Reed Girl wearing my jersey over a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans. New jeans because her old ones didn't fit anymore. She looked hot as hell, showing off those new curves of hers. Emily was outfitted similarly in Sammy's jersey. He let out a little moan next to me. Fucking hilarious.

"Hey, baby." I kissed my wife. "Aren't you cold?"

She shook her head. "My jacket's right there." She pointed to a couple of coats on the floor by the wall. It was too hot here. "Great game." She smiled at me, but I noticed the smile didn't meet her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I cupped her face in my hands. "Did somebody fuck with you in the stands or something?" I'd worried about that shit, that someone would recognize her and say something. I should have put her in the owner's box.

"No, nothing like that." She took my hand and edged us away from where Sammy and Emily were talking animatedly.

I gave her a look, willing her to get to it. She took a deep, shuddering breath, and I saw tears appear in her eyes. Shit. Whoever had made her cry was going to get their ass kicked, unless it was me. Fuck, I hoped it wasn't me.

"What is it, Bella? You're freaking me out."

"I know. I'm sorry. I just don't know how to tell you-"As she broke off, the tears started to flow, and I went into instant panic.

"Is it the baby? Is something wrong with her?" I reached out to pick her up and run to the team doctor. He was the closest medical personnel I could think of.

"No. Edward, she's fine."

Relief filled me at those words.

"I'm sorry. It's Danny."

Danny? But I'd just talked to him. He had to be okay. "What's wrong with Danny? He just texted me."

"His mother called me a few minutes ago. He's not doing well, baby. They don't think…" She trailed off and wiped at her tears. "He's not going to make it."

Fuck. My heart dropped. I knew, at Thanksgiving, I knew that he seemed too little, too frail. But he was going to fight. Danny was a fighter. He had to be okay. "What did she say?"

"He's too weak for anymore chemo or a bone-marrow transplant. They're out of options." Reed Girl put her arms around me, and I clutched her to my body. "She wanted to know if you'd come by the hospital to see him."

Like they had to ask? "Can we go now?"

"Yeah, for a little bit. Visiting hours end at eight, I guess."

Fuck that noise. I'd leave when I left. "Let's go."

"We have to tell Sammy and Emily we're not going to dinner," Reed Girl reminded me gently before I could tug her down the hallway.

Yeah. That's right. Five minutes ago, we'd had plans to go to dinner with friends. Now I was going to a hospital to watch a cool little kid die. The world was a fucked-up place.

"Sammy."

He looked over at me from his conversation with Emily.

"We can't do dinner. You guys will have to go on your own."

"I drove, so could you take Emily home?" Reed Girl asked, squeezing my hand.

"Sure." Sammy narrowed his eyes at us. "What happened? Is everything okay?"

I just shook my head. "It's Danny."

"Fuck." He knew instantly. "Where is he? Can I come? Is he still…"

"If you want." Reed Girl gave him the hospital information since I didn't have it.

Poor Emily looked confused, but I didn't have time to enlighten her. Let Sammy do it.

"We have to go." Then something occurred to me, and I ran back into the locker room to grab a game ball before hurrying back out. "Okay, let's go."

We got to my car, and I input the hospital on the GPS. Luckily it was close by. We didn't talk on the way; Reed Girl just held on to my hand and stroked it with her thumb.

Reed Girl had the building information, so she directed me where to park and what room we were going to. I honestly didn't need the room number, though. I heard a football game playing and headed that way. Sure enough, it was Danny's room.

I saw his mother first. Joyce had red eyes, but a smile stole over her face when she saw us standing there. Steve was sitting next to the bed with Danny, holding his hand. And Danny…Danny was so tiny and pale in that fucking hospital bed, hooked up to beeping monitors and shit. It was so fucking wrong. A part of me wanted to rip out all the wires and then punch the wall. He was too young for this shit. It shouldn't be happening to him.

On the TV, Dallas scored a TD with that little blond receiver of theirs. Sammy called him Baby Thor.

"Darn. We need them to lose, right, Dad? So we can go to the playoffs?"

"That would be a good start, but we need a lot to happen," I said.

Danny's head whipped around and his face lit right up when he saw me.

"Edward! You came to see me."

"Where else would I go after a big win?" I asked, walking over to his bedside. It was then that I noticed Chelsea, who was on the bed with her brother. She looked up at me with the saddest blue eyes I'd ever fucking seen. Fuck.

"I had to celebrate with my best supporter, didn't I?"

He pointed to himself. "That's me."

"Of course it's you." I held out the football I'd grabbed from the locker room and handed it to him. "This is one of the balls we used in the game. I thought you might like to have it."

He lit up even more as he reached for it. "Wow! Thank you. It's awesome."

"It's a very cool present, isn't it, son?" Steve held out a hand to me, and I shook. He looked wrecked. They all did. Of course they did. "Thanks for coming, Edward."

"Nowhere else I'd rather be."

He nodded sadly as he stood. "Take my seat. I…we…should take Chelsea down for something to eat. Will you be okay sitting with him for a little bit?" he asked softly.

"Of course," Reed Girl answered while I just nodded. "You guys take all the time you need."

He gave her a smile. "Thanks. Chelsea, let's go get some dinner. Edward and Bella are going to stay with your brother."

"I'm not hungry," she muttered, taking her brother's hand in hers.

"I know, baby, but you have to eat. We all do." Her mother held out a hand. "We'll just grab something quick in the cafeteria and come right back."

Chelsea shook her head. "I'm not leaving my brother."

"You need to-"Joyce started, at the same time that Danny spoke.

"Could you bring me back some fries? I really like them." He looked at his twin. "You know the kind I like best."

Chelsea nodded. "The squishy ones. Okay, I'll bring you some." She slid from the bed and pointed at me. "You take care of him until I get back."

Christ. "I promise."

She nodded and left the room with her parents.

I took the seat Steve had vacated, and Reed Girl sat next to me.

"She wouldn't leave unless I gave her something to do." I didn't know what to say to that, but Danny continued. "You threw four touchdowns today. It was really good."

"Thanks. Cutler helped, giving us a short field so many times."

He laughed. "Yeah. Three interceptions. Not good for them, but good for us."

Sammy showed up then, and I was surprised to see Emily in the doorway. She waved but stayed back.

"Hey, little man. Are you voodooing Dallas for us?" At Danny's confused expression, he clarified. "Bringing them bad luck so we can get into the playoffs."

Danny nodded. "I'm trying, but they're winning right now. Maybe with all of us, they'll start losing."

"We can hope. Hey, I brought you something." Sammy handed him one of his gloves. "I caught that second touchdown wearing this."

"Cool! Thank you!" Danny took it and set it next to the football on the bed with him.

We sat and watched the game for a while before he spoke up again. "Can I talk to you alone?" he asked, addressing me.

Sammy nodded at my look. "I've got to head out anyway. You stay tough, Danny. I'm going to visit you again soon, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks for coming to see me, and for my glove."

Sammy fist-bumped him before heading out.

Reed Girl stood. "I'm just going to find some water. I'll be right outside." She said that for my benefit, I knew. I was holding on by a fucking thread at this point, and I really needed her.

"What's up?" I asked Danny once we were alone.

"I'm sorry," he said, and a tear dropped down his face. He wiped it away.

"What could you possibly be sorry about?" I was baffled. And I didn't know what I'd fucking do if he cried any more. It would kill me.

"You told me to be strong, but I'm not."

Fuck. "Danny, you're very strong. I don't know many people who could go what you're going through and be here, smiling and laughing and being strong for their family." He shook his head, but I went on. "You pretended you wanted French fries to get your sister to go get something to eat. That's being strong and helping your family, putting them first. Strength isn't about health or muscles. It's about doing the right thing, even when it's hard."

He seemed to be thinking about what I'd said. He nodded slowly. "Will you make sure they're okay? After…" He trailed off, not saying the words, thank fuck. "You're the only person I can ask. My other friends are too young to do it."

Fucking hell. I was going to lose my shit all over the place. "Of course I will. They'll be fine. And so will you." It was a lie, but I had to say it, even though he shook his head.

"I know. I can tell." And he did. I could see it in his eyes. "It's okay. Someone needs to look out for my sister. She's tough, but she's really sad. Say you'll do it, and I'll believe you. Miss Bella says you keep your word."

And this kid doubted his strength? Please. He was incredible. I took his hand. "I promise. I'll look out for your family, especially Chelsea. She may not appreciate it, but I'll do it."

He laughed. "She will. She just won't say that she does. Don't let her kick you, though. It hurts."

Dallas scored again and caught his attention. "I won't get to be like you and play for FSU and the Giants."

Fucking hell. I had to do something.

"That's okay. I'll watch you. Maybe you'll win the Super Bowl for me one day."

"I will." His eyes cut to mine, and I nodded. "That's another promise I'll make you."

He smiled. "Good. I like that."

Not long after, his family and Reed Girl came back in. We hung out for a while, but his eyes started drooping, so I knew it was time to leave. I gave Danny a light hug and promised to come back the next day. Joyce and Steve both hugged us and thanked us for visiting. I shook off the thanks. I didn't need it.

As we stepped into the hallway, I took Reed Girl's hand in mine again. I needed to hold on to her. Before we could get too far, Chelsea came out.

"Edward."

I turned and stooped down so that I'd be on her level.

"Hey, Chelsea."

She came to a stop in front of me. "My brother's going to die."

Fuck. I looked at Reed Girl, and she nodded at me. "I know. I'm sorry."

"You're his favorite player."

"It's an honor to be his favorite player. He's a great person."

"He won't be able to root for you anymore, except from heaven."

I had no idea what to say to that, so I just nodded.

"So, I'm going to root for you for him. You're my favorite player now."

That fucking did it. The little blond girl destroyed me. "That's…thank you. That's just as great an honor." I opened my arms, and she walked into them. She cried, then, long and hard. And yeah, I cried a little, too. It was impossible not to. One look at Bella confirmed that she was in the same boat I was.

Eventually, Chelsea calmed down and stepped back, wiping at her eyes. "Thank you."

I just nodded.

"Maybe you could bring me one of your jerseys next time you come."

She floored me. "I'd be happy to."

"I have to get back to my brother now. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll be here."

"Okay. Bye." She kissed my cheek and gave Reed Girl a hug.

I stopped her before she went back into Danny's room. "Chelsea?" She turned and looked at me. "We're having a baby girl, and I want her to be just like you when she grows up."

That made a ghost of a smile appear on her face. "I'd like that." Then she headed off into her brother's room.

I stood up, and Reed Girl wrapped her arms around me, burying her face in my chest. "Oh, God. Edward."

"I know, baby." I held her for several minutes, just breathing her in and letting her cry. My tears were gone, but my mind was whirling. I fucking hated that that awesome little boy was getting robbed of the life he deserved. I had to do something.

"I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be strong for you." Reed Girl pulled back, and I wiped away her tears.

"You are strong for me. I needed you, and here you are." I took her hand, and we headed out of the hospital.

"What did he say to you?" she asked as I drove us home. I told her, which of course made her cry again. "We will be there for them. I promise that, too."

I kissed her knuckles. "We're a team. Where I go, you go, and vice versa. I want to do something for him, something in his name."

His name. That hit me like a ton of bricks. I parked the car in our slot and turned to look at Reed Girl. "I want to name our daughter after him. Danielle. We'll call her Dani, the girl version."

The tears started to flow again, but she nodded. "I think that's a great idea. A lovely tribute to him."

It was a start. I wanted to do more. I _would_ do more. But what?

Xoxoxoxoxox

Tuesday's practice sucked. It was long and tiring, especially because I'd spent almost all of Monday in Danny's room. Sammy had called the guys, and Danny's hospital floor was a revolving door of New York Giants. Sammy, Colin, Brady, and Paul had all stayed the longest, but even guys who hadn't met him, like JPP and Jennings, stopped in to say hi and make him smile. Eli came and made Chelsea happier, but she reiterated to me that I was now her favorite player. It wasn't how I'd wanted to win her affections, but it still meant a lot to me.

Danny's wistful words about not being able to play for his dream teams stayed with me. There was nothing I could do to completely make his dream come true, but I had an idea. First I went to Coach, who loved the first part of my plan and promised to go to the GM and get it done. He wasn't as enamored with the second part, because he feared I might get suspended, but I was going to put Alec on that.

Alec made some calls, as did Mr. Mara and Coach. While they were doing that, I called Jasper and Coach Fisher. Jasper immediately agreed, and Coach promised to talk to the Georgia staff, who we were playing in our New Year's Day bowl game. It took a lot of doing, but we got the permission we needed.

"You're going to have to pay a big fine for uniform violation," Alec told me. "They won't suspend you, but they can't just waive the fee. Otherwise they'd have players wanting to do the same thing every week."

That wasn't a problem. I'd pay whatever fine they levied. It was totally worth it.

Our families understood when Reed Girl and I explained to them that we wouldn't be doing a big Christmas celebration this year. We wanted to be there for Danny and his family, and honestly, we didn't really feel like celebrating. I cancelled my planned trip to Miami for the bowl game, as well. I hoped that Danny would be around to watch the game with me in his room. And if he wasn't…well, I wouldn't want to be there then anyway.

During my Thursday visit with him, I made Danny promise that he'd watch the game on Sunday. He knew I wouldn't be by until Monday, since our final game was in Arizona against the Cardinals. Leaving was hard, not knowing if he'd be there when I came back, but his parents assured me that the doctors had given him a few more weeks.

Sunday came, and I got my usual text from him, wishing me a great game. I replied, thanking him, and fought the pang, knowing that it would be the last time he texted me before a game. Next year-no. I couldn't think about that now. I had a game to win.

I put on my jersey, and Sammy managed a smile when he saw it.

"That's awesome, man. He's going to be floored."

I shrugged. "It was the best I could do. He can't play, but…"

"But you can play for him. It's awesome. He'll love it."

I hoped so. I stood in the gangplank, wearing the special jersey I'd had made for the occasion. The announcers had all been prepped, and much to my pleasant surprise, the Cardinals had suggested giving me an entrance, even though I was on their field. My team was introduced and ran out en masse.

"And now, playing today for a very special boy, quarterback Edward Cullen." I walked out of the tunnel, smiling into the camera that was zoomed in on the number nine that I wore today instead of my usual seven. They did a shot of my back as I walked by, as requested. Instead of my name, it said Prentice. Maybe Danny couldn't take the field, but I could in his name.

The game ended up being a tight one, but in the end, Danny and I prevailed. I threw a last-second touchdown to Sammy to win twenty-eight to twenty-four. We officially finished the season nine and seven, just out of the playoffs. But when I got to the locker room and checked my phone, I didn't feel like I'd missed out on anything.

I had a voice mail from Danny, along with his pre-game texts wishing me luck.

"Edward! You're wearing my name! It's like I'm out on the field! Oh, thank you! Thank you so much! This is so cool! My friends can't believe it. They keep calling my room! Dad taped the game. This is so great! It's like I'm playing! Oh, look, you threw a touchdown! I'm pretending I did! Mom, I'm not going to fall out of bed. Sorry, I got a little excited. Thank you again! I can't wait to see you!"

I couldn't wait to see him, either. I saved his voice mail, knowing that I'd want to hear it again one day, after he was gone. The smile on his face when I went into his room the next day and presented him with his jersey was priceless. Later that day, when Coach gave him a signed contract, making him a New York Giant, he about burst with pride and excitement and joy. And the following week, when I sat next to Danny and watched Jasper, wearing his own 9 Prentice jersey, take the field at the Orange Bowl, I got to see the wonder and happiness that had been on his face when I'd done it.

It was that that I held to me when we got the call a couple of days later. Danny had passed away in the middle of the night with his family by his side. I did my best to hold on to that image as I watched the far-too-little coffin get lowered into the ground, Bella's hand in mine. My entire team and coaching staff had turned out for the funeral, along with Alec and the Maras. He was a New York Giant, and they all came to support him. He was buried with his jersey, my jersey, and the game ball I'd given him. Just the thought of that nearly brought me to my knees.

"I never thought anything could make me smile today, but you all did. He would be so thrilled that the entire team came for him. Thank you for what you've done." Joyce hugged me tightly. "You made these last few months the best of his life. That's more than we could have hoped for, under the circumstances."

"I hope you don't think that's the last you're going to see of us," I told her, holding on tightly to Reed Girl's hand. She was my lifeline today. "I made a promise to your son that I was going to look after you, and I intend do that and more. He won't ever be forgotten."

I put my free hand over Bella's baby bump. "We hope you don't mind, but we'd like to name our daughter Danielle and call her Dani. There's nobody we'd like her to emulate more than both of your children."

"Oh, God." Joyce put her hand to her mouth, and her husband held on to her as she cried and nodded.

"Yes. We'd like that very much," he supplied, shaking my hand. "Thank you for being there for my son. You meant the world to him."

"He means a lot to us," Reed Girl told him. "We know you probably need some time, but know that we're here for you when you want us."

"Thank you."

They moved away, on to accept more condolences. It was a cold, crappy winter day that seemed fitting for a funeral. And that was a fucked-up thought.

"They mean it, you know. You did a lot to make Danny happy, when not much could have. You can't discount that, now that he's gone."

I focused on my wife. She was so sad and beautiful in her black dress. "I don't. But I want to do more. Nobody should have to go through this."

"So, we'll do more." She touched my face. "We'll keep his name alive." She touched her belly. _"She'll_ keep his name alive, and we'll honor him with our new charity."

 _Danny's Dream._ I was establishing a football camp in his name, all proceeds going to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. We'd have sick kids, healthy kids, kids who could pay, and kids who couldn't. Everybody would be welcome.

"You'll make more dreams come true, just like you did with Danny. He would want that."

Yeah, he would. He'd been taken from the world way too soon, but I was going to see to it that he lived on forever, like he should have.


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N Happy National Macaroon Day? Seriously, today is a weird choice, there's the macaroons, Save Your Hearing Day, Speak In Complete Sentences Day (I should probably work on that one) and What You Think Upon Grows Day (my mind goes in a very dirty place for this one. I doubt that surprises any of you).**

**Tomorrow, however is Oscar the Grouch day. Since I had a hamster named after Oscar when I was five, I think I'll celebrate that one. True story, apparently he died because I was too rough with him, as five-year-olds can be. My parents, of course, told me that he'd gotten lost because my mom hadn't shut the cage properly. I believed that lie for a good decade before I was informed that he'd died and it was probably my fault. TRAUMA! I'll never get over the lies. hehe I kid, but really, harsh.**

**I must sincerely thank you all for the love you gave last chapter. Truly, it blew me away. Pretty sure I got more reviews on that chapter than any other save the first one, when you were all excited these guys were back. And I heard from a lot of people that never review any story, that were so touched by Danny's death and Edward's actions, that they felt compelled to let me know. That you all cared so much for a little boy that I created, and that you felt that I did him justice, meant the world to me. To thank you all, for getting why I did what I did, and for the love you showed all my characters. As a writer, that definitely touches a special place in my heart.  
**

**This chapter will take us back to the place we're used to being with these guys, lighter and fluffier. Danny won't be forgotten, and of course he'll be addressed, along with his family, as we go, but we're certainly not going to go to that sad place again. Not to say some of us might not tear up a time or two, but it won't be like last chapter. I promise! Enjoy getting away with E &B this chapter, plus the return of Rainbow, who always makes things better. And if you want a link to see the places discussed, it's on my FF.net profile below the house. Enjoy and I'll see you next week.**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 38

"You're not helping."

Rainbow looked up at me from her spot inside the box I was attempting to pack, completely unconcerned that she was in the way. She liked getting fur all over my clothes. In fact, she took the time to use her paws to push my shirts around until she had the perfect setting before turning a circle and lying down.

"You're a brat, Rainbow."

I was pretty sure she was smirking at me. That was fucked up.

"I'm trying to get shit done, you know. We're moving in three weeks, and right now, you're making me sorry that I got that work order to rip down that lattice shit so that you'd have unobstructed views from the porch."

I reached in to lift her unhelpful ass out, and she put a paw on my hand. I sighed and sat back.

"I know. There's time. I just…I need something to do, you know? To take my mind off of…"

I couldn't even say it. The past couple of weeks had been brutal, watching Danny waste away, and I could only imagine how the Prentices were doing. I'd thought about calling them a ton of times, but what the hell could I say? The whole thing was fucked up and wrong. It had been three days since we'd buried him, and I couldn't get the image of that little coffin out of my head. So fucking wrong.

Rainbow head-butted me, purring away. I scratched between her ears, making her purr harder.

"Yeah, you have it easy, don't you? The only people you care about are healthy. Your biggest problem is going to be adjusting to a new home and a new baby."

The baby. Dani. She was on my mind constantly, too. It was bad enough that I had to worry about all the boys who were on the way, all of whom would be out to steal my little girl, but I also had those haunting images of Danny in my mind.

"If she ever gets sick-no. I can't think about that. I _won't_ think about it. Reed Girl says I'm just going to make myself crazy and you can't fight what's not even there. And she's right, but fuck. I want to fight it. I want to know that our Dani's going to be healthy and happy and safe. Is that so fucking wrong?"

Rainbow seemed to think it wasn't, because she gave me another head-butt. And on the screen, Dallas scored a fucking touchdown. Fuckers.

"I wish we were in the playoffs. It'd give me something else to focus on, something to fucking do besides think."

"I have something you can concentrate on."

I looked up from the spot on the floor and saw Reed Girl standing in the doorway. She was all wrapped up in her winter coat, with gloves and a scarf. She looked really fucking cute. I watched with interest as she began shedding layers, leaving only her leggings and a form-fitting red sweater when she was done. Her baby bump had doubled in size over the past few weeks, it seemed.

She walked over to me, sitting down on the bed. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold, but her eyes were sparkling. She looked happy and healthy. Thank fuck for that.

"Is that all you're taking off? Because I thought you had something for me to concentrate on, and you were doing a good job by removing your clothes."

She laughed and gave me a smacking kiss. "That's all I'm taking off on my own. Now, if you wanted to assist me…" She giggled as I reached for her. "Later, Champ."

Damn it. I sat back. "Did you have a good time with Kim, baby?"

Reed Girl smiled. "I did. She got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time. We both cried."

I reached up and touched her cheek. "I'm sure you did."

"It was good, though. It was a reminder." She put her hand over mine, linking our fingers together. "Life goes on. Even though some miracles don't happen, plenty of them do." Her other hand rested over our daughter. "I felt her."

"What?"

The smile that lit Reed Girl's face was beyond beautiful. "There was a little flutter inside me while Kim was getting her sonogram. It was our Dani moving inside me. The first time I felt it."

Fluttering? Like my love flutters? "Was it weird?"

I put my hand over hers, trying to feel the baby moving for myself, even though the book said she'd feel it first. That hardly seemed fair. I mean, yeah, it probably was, considering she was the one who had to do all the work growing our baby and shit, but still. I wanted to feel her, too.

"It wasn't weird. It was…amazing. I cried, Kim cried, and the doctor laughed at us." She giggled. "I couldn't wait to come home to tell you about it. She feels even more real now."

"She's pretty damn real already, baby." I ran my hand over her belly.

"I know. And I know your mind is all caught up in the what ifs now, with good reason, but Edward, she's real. She's going to be healthy and perfect and all ours. We're all going to be okay. Better than okay. We're going to be great."

I shook my head. "You can't guarantee that, baby."

"Okay, maybe not, but I can promise to cherish every moment we have with her and with each other. Life doesn't come with guarantees, so we may as well enjoy the good times. And we're going to have a lot of them."

Rainbow chose that moment to pop her head up and peer at us over the box.

"See? Rainbow agrees."

They were both right, of course. I ran a hand through my hair. "I'm trying, baby. I just can't seem to think about anything else. It's all out of my control, and I fucking hate that."

Reed Girl stilled my hand and pulled it back to the baby. "That's why you need something else to focus on. I think we should get out of here for a little while."

I stared at her. Was she serious? "We're moving in three weeks. You're supposed to start the music program next week. Where could we possibly go?"

My wife smirked at me. "You owe me a honeymoon, mister. And I'm officially collecting it right now."

"But-"

"No buts, except for yours and mine in the sand on some beach. I want sunshine and warmth and some time with my husband before chaos descends again. We'll hire people to pack, and I'll push back the music for a week. It'll give them more time to get permission slips signed. Emily warned me that the first week back to school after winter break would be insane anyway."

"What about Rainbow? I guess I could call Sammy to watch her."

"Rainbow comes with us." Reed Girl squeezed my hand. "She deserves a vacation, too. We'll drop her off with the family, hit a beach for a week or so, and then spend a few days with everyone in Tallahassee. I think it would do us some good. We didn't see them for the holidays."

I had to admit, it sounded good. "Where do you want to go?"

"A resort where the most we have to do is open our door and walk a few feet onto the beach. I don't care where. Get me out of this crappy winter weather and give me my honeymoon."

For the first time in weeks, I felt myself smiling. "So, instead of wearing fifty layers of clothes, you'll be wearing nothing but a tiny bikini for days on end?"

She grinned. "Yeah. You're the only one who might enjoy that view, but who cares?"

I pulled her off the bed and onto my lap. "Fuck that noise. You're sexy as hell, but I'm the only one who's gonna see it."

She wrapped her arms around my neck. "That's right. Just you and me, the water, and a bed. That's all we need."

No. It wasn't. "You're all I need." I gave her a searing kiss that left us both breathless. "Thank you, baby."

She smiled and rested her head on my shoulder. "You're welcome. That's what I'm here for."

Thank fuck for that. I held her several minutes, before she sat back and grinned at me.

"Okay, enough loafing. We have plans to make." She popped up and grabbed the laptop, thrusting it at me. "You look for a place. I'll call Alice and get the ball rolling."

I opened my browser as Dallas scored again. The jealousy I'd felt earlier wasn't there this time. Next year I'd be in the playoffs. This year? I was taking my wife on our honeymoon. She was right. I needed to get out of Jersey for a bit and get my head on straight. I had to find the joy in my life again. And on a beach with my gorgeous wife seemed like a damn good place to start.

Xoxoxoxox

"Oh, Edward! This is…this is beyond beautiful. This is way too much!" She threw her arms around me and gave me a hard kiss.

I smirked at Reed Girl's enthusiasm. I'd thought with all the traveling that she'd be worn out, but apparently the beach had revived her. I really couldn't blame her, though. This place was fucking phenomenal.

"Seriously, I thought we'd get a room at Atlantis or something. Our own private island? Do I even want to know what this cost?"

I laughed, shaking my head. She really didn't. "There are four other houses, so it's not completely private. Plus the staff and whatnot. But this is our private beach, should you want to see about having no tan lines." I waggled my eyebrows at her, making her laugh her ass off.

"Sure. The instant you saw a boat on the horizon, you'd herd me inside and have me back in my winter coat."

That was…true. Nobody was allowed to look at my wife naked but me. "I'm the only one allowed to see you naked. It's another of the vows."

She grinned. "I'm good with that vow as well." She took the captain's hand, stepping off the boat.

I started to grab our bags, but he waved me off. "I'll get these. Take your lovely wife and show her your cottage."

So, I took my girl's hand and we made our way up the pier. "This is the Pier House, baby. I thought you'd enjoy sitting out here at night, looking at the stars, not to mention tanning here or on the sand."

All the houses here were great, but a couple of them had a rockier terrain. I wasn't risking Reed Girl falling and hurting herself or our baby. The flatter surface had decided me.

We walked past the white sand, straight up onto the porch, which was draped with filmy white curtains. The front door was right there, and I pushed it open before lifting my wife into my arms and carrying her over the threshold. It was our honeymoon, after all, even if it was two months later. Had it really only been two months?

Reed Girl gasped. "Oh, my God. Can we move here?"

I laughed, taking in the rustic but comfortable-looking furniture. There was wood and art everywhere we looked, from sculptures to paintings. There were two large master-bedroom suites. I selected the one with the big bathtub that we could share later. The porch stretched in front of the room, making it easy to just walk from our bedroom straight out to the water.

I gently set Reed Girl down on the bed. The captain brought our bags in, and I thanked him, handing him a tip. Once he left, my wife propped herself up on her elbows, smiling at me.

"So, now will you tell me where we are? The Bahamas, I assume, but what is this place?"

I had to laugh. She'd been pestering me about where we were going since I'd taken my laptop from her and told her it was my job to plan the honeymoon and surprise her. She'd asked when we got to Tally and dropped Rainbow off with Shorty; she'd asked again when we'd arrived in Miami and again when our plane had landed on a private airstrip. Then I'd ushered her straight onto the boat and given the captain orders not to tell her anything.

"It's called Musha Cay, and believe it or not, it's owned by David Copperfield."

She shook her head, looking outside at the blue-green water. "I can believe it. This place is magical."

I hoped so. We needed a little magic in our world again. I threw myself down on the bed next to her.

"There are several places to dine-some formal, some not-plus an outdoor movie theater. There's karaoke and other crap like that, which we can do if you really want."

She chuckled and gave me a smacking kiss. "I think we can pass on the singing, but a movie might be nice one night. I'd like to snuggle with you under the stars."

"You can snuggle with me anywhere you like, baby."

She draped her left leg over both of mine. "Here works, too." Her lips met mine in a long, slow kiss. "This is perfect, Edward. Thank you for doing this for me."

I shook my head, looking into her beautiful brown eyes. "We both know that you did this for me. And it was a good call. Getting away, being alone with you; there's nothing I could want more."

Reed Girl kissed me again and moved over to straddle me. "Are you sure there's nothing more you could want?"

My hands automatically went up to cup her breasts. "Just you, baby. _All_ of you."

She grinned and reached down, pulling her yellow sundress over her head. "Have me, then. Here, and on the beach, and on a boat if we can get one, and in the bathtub, and wherever else we can find."

She was perfect. Absolutely perfect for me. And fucking stunning in her skimpy underwear. "I'm good to go in all those places and more, Mrs. Cullen." I'd rent us a boat-fuck, I'd _buy_ us a boat to make love to her on the water.

"Good, Mr. Cullen. Now, why don't you relax and let me thank you for going above and beyond, as usual. You spoil me."

I grinned up at her. "That's my job." I put my hand on her belly. "I'm going to spoil both of my girls. You better get used to it."

Her hands joined mine and her eyes got teary. "We will. And I may get used to it, but I'll never take it for granted. I love you, so much."

I sat up and wrapped my arms around her. "I love you too, Reed Girl. Always will."

"That sounds good to me."

She kissed me, moving her sexy body against mine and getting us both worked up in no time. My shirt came off, as did her bra, and it wasn't long before we were naked and I was buried inside her. Her moans mixed with the sounds of the waves lapping against the shore. It was fucking phenomenal. It was everything a honeymoon should be. We came together, in perfect harmony like we always were.

I was more grateful than I could ever say that Reed Girl had given me the kick in the ass to give her what she deserved and what we both needed. I already felt a million times better, and the awesome sex was only a small reason why. _She_ was the reason. Always.

Xoxoxoxoxo

"I can't get over this."

I had to smile at Reed Girl's disbelief as we took our seats at the table. Even I had to admit, it was pretty impressive. We were dining on the pier that led away from the main restaurant, with a gorgeous sunset lighting the sky and lanterns decorating the table and dock around us. There were a few people eating inside the actual restaurant, but for our first night here, I'd wanted to wow my wife by feeding her right on top of the water.

For her part, Bella looked absolutely stunning. We'd managed to drag ourselves the ten feet or so it took to get from our bed onto the private beach eventually, getting a few hours of sun. My girl had a golden glow that was only accented by the sunset and candles. She was in a loose-fitting white sundress that was so big I couldn't even see the baby bump. She looked fucking gorgeous. The only thing missing to complete the island picture was a flower in her hair.

Reed Girl positively beamed at the waiter when he came to take our drink order. I stuck to water out of solidarity, and she sighed as he walked away to get our drinks and salads.

"Maybe someday we can come back when I'm not pregnant and I can have one of those fruity tropical drinks. I can practically feel them calling my name."

I took her hand and kissed it. "I'll bring you back anytime you like, baby."

She laughed. "I think this is a great special occasion place, but not an anytime vacation." She bit her lip. "Plus, I don't think I could stand to be this far away from the baby."

Silly Reed Girl. Like we'd leave her? "We'd bring Dani, obviously. Hell, maybe we could bring everybody next time. The big house has ten bedrooms. We could easily accommodate the gang."

That made her grin. "I like the sound of that. Maybe in a couple years, we can plan a big group thing. But for now, it's just ours."

Sounded good to me. "That's how I prefer it."

Our drinks, salad, and bread appeared. The waiter ran through the specials, highlighting the fact that the fish was caught right near the island that very day. I could tell by the look on Reed Girl's face that she wanted it bad.

"You should go ahead and get it, baby." I knew she'd been listening to me and avoiding eating fish, but the occasional seafood wasn't bad, so long as it was cooked properly.

"Yeah? Okay, maybe just for tonight."

I got the filet, and she went for the grouper. The waiter left and we were alone again. It was easy to pretend we were the only two people on the island. We almost were.

"I seriously can't imagine a more beautiful place on earth. Thank you, again, for doing this, Edward. I know I didn't give you much time to plan, but you sure knocked it out of the park."

"Wrong sport, but that's what I do, baby." I smirked at her little giggle, then stood and moved my chair next to hers, slipping my arm around her and pulling her close. "That's better."

She kissed me softly. "Yes, it is." She rested her head on my shoulder. "This feels right."

I didn't have to ask what she meant. We'd been off ever since the news of Danny's illness. Well, I'd been off. She'd been pretty fucking amazing, just like she always was. I stroked my hand up and down her side.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't really there for you these past few weeks. I-"

"Edward Anthony Cullen!" Reed Girl turned toward me, taking my face in her hands. "Don't you dare apologize for being there for Danny and his family. They needed you, and you were so incredibly strong for them. I don't think I've ever been prouder of you than I was for how you handled everything. Don't you diminish it with an apology to me."

Damn, she was feisty. I loved it. "I didn't mean it like that, baby. I just meant that I kind of got lost in my head a lot, especially the last couple days. I wasn't trying to shut you out or anything."

"I know." She brushed my lips with hers. "Everybody has to grieve in their own way. I don't fault you for that. Just like I hope you don't fault me for wanting to get away from it all for a bit. Maybe that's me being selfish, but-"

Now it was my turn to silence her, though I chose a kiss instead of full-naming her. Kisses were way better. She moaned and melted into me. Fucking awesome.

"There's nothing selfish about it," I told her when we broke apart. "You may have couched it in my needing to give you a honeymoon, but we both know you asked me to do this to help me. You knew I had to get out of the dark places my mind was going, and you made it happen by giving me something good to focus on. Us. We're good, Reed Girl. Really, really good."

"Yeah, we are."

She cuddled into me again, and we watched the sun sink below the water. Our food came, and it was fucking phenomenal. Everything here was. We ended up sharing our dinners with one another, which was pretty awesome. Surf and turf for the win. And for dessert, we had the best cheesecake I'd ever tasted; it was so light it was like eating air but tasted a hell of a lot better than that.

"Oh my God. This is seriously better than sex."

I raised an eyebrow at my wife's declaration, making her laugh. "Okay, as good as sex, then."

"That sounds like a challenge, Mrs. Cullen."

She licked her fork in a very enticing way. "Perhaps it is, Mr. Cullen. Do you think you can rise to the challenge?"

I took her hand and pulled her to her feet. "I think we both know I can. I'm going to make you forget all about your dessert."

"Hmm, I don't know. I think I'll dream about it tonight." She inched away from me, heading down the dock toward the beach. "I think I might even call out for it in my sleep." Her eyes twinkled as she grinned over her shoulder at me. "And I know I'm going to want it again and again before we leave here."

She was turning me the hell on. We both knew she wasn't talking about cheesecake. "All that sugar would be bad for you. I'll give you something better than that."

We hit the sand and headed toward our cottage.

"Nothing could be better than that cheesecake."

"Oh, I'm better, baby, and you won't have to take in any excess calories."

Reed Girl chuckled. "True. Although, like them, you'll go directly toward my hips."

I laughed with her. "Yes. But you like it when I do."

I scooped her up as we got to some rockier terrain. She put her arms around my shoulders and leaned into me.

"Always looking out for me, aren't you?"

"Damn right, baby. That's my number one job."

She giggled and kissed my neck. "We're lucky that your number two job is being a big, strong quarterback so you're able to carry me despite the extra weight. Be careful not to throw out your back."

I pretended to stumble and made her shriek and smack at me. "Ass!"

"Yes, but I'm your ass. And you're not heavy, at all. A perfect armful, like always."

That got me a kiss, of course. We arrived to our place a few minutes later, and rather than going inside, I carried her back onto our own dock, sitting with her in the chair overlooking the water. There was nothing as far as the eye could see except for stars.

"This is beautiful," Reed Girl murmured, curling into my lap. "You're officially planning all our vacations."

I laughed and kissed the top of her head. "You might regret saying that, baby, when I have you trekking through the rainforest or something."

She shook her head and looked up at me. "I'll never regret a moment with you."

Well, fuck, I had no words for that, so I kissed her. We kissed for quite a long time, just enjoying the night and each other. Eventually, she pulled back and stood up.

"Dance with me?"

I stood and pulled her against me. "There's no music."

She laughed and reached into her pocket. "Yes, there is."

And the next thing I knew, the Ed Sheeran song from our wedding was playing. I held her close and swayed with her to the music.

"Perfect," she whispered, and it was. I could think of nowhere I'd rather be, and certainly nobody I'd rather be with, than right here right now with her.

"I guess we officially have a song," I said when it began to play again.

She nodded, burrowing even closer into me. "We most certainly do. My husband picked this song out for me for our wedding day. There could never be a better one."

"Oh, I don't know about that. My talented wife could probably write one, but this works anyway."

She pulled back and looked up at me. "Edward, will you make love to me on the beach?"

Like she even had to ask. "I'm game if you are, baby, but you know the sand-"

"I know and I don't care. I want you, right here, under the stars."

Sand be damned. I took her hand and led her back down the pier. We stepped off into the sand, which was much cooler now that the sun was down. I pulled her dress over her shoulders and laid it down on the ground. We wouldn't avoid the sand completely, but at least maybe she'd have a little protection. We undressed each other slowly, kissing and touching all the while.

I laid her back on top of her dress, before lowering myself on top of her. I kissed my way down her body, making her moan and squirm, way more than the cheesecake had. I nipped her hip bones before pushing her legs open and kissing my way down toward her pussy.

"See, straight to my thighs."

I laughed and bit each one lightly, making her shriek. "Only difference is, you actually want me here."

She made a murmuring sound of assent as her hands found my hair. "I do."

I took my time, teasing her with my fingers and my tongue, bringing her to the edge before moving away to kiss her on her bellybutton, or hip bone, or where our baby was.

"Edward, please."

I smiled against her skin. "You have to admit I'm better than cheesecake."

"Cheesecake doesn't tease me mercilessly." She tugged on my hair impatiently. I fucking loved it.

"It also doesn't give you multiple orgasms like I'm going to. Plus, you're going to burn calories instead of consume them. I'm the one doing all the eating." I could practically feel her vibrating below me as she moaned at my words. She was anxious as hell.

"Fine. You're better than cheesecake. And chocolate. And anything else you can think of. Just take me."

"Happily." So I went back to work with my tongue, flicking her clit back and forth as my fingers worked their magic inside her. It didn't take long before she went off like a rocket, coming hard and calling my name. Fucking addicting.

I moved back up her body, doing my best not to kick sand all over both of us, as I slipped inside her. She wrapped her arms and legs around me, moving against me. It felt like we had all the time in the world, so we took it slow, moving together. The only sounds were us and the surf hitting the shore. She tightened around me, and I rode out her orgasm, loving the way she felt, before letting myself go. I collapsed on top of her, and she held me close.

"Best honeymoon ever," she murmured into my ear.

Yes. Yes it was. "And we're only getting started. We have a whole week left, baby." I planned to enjoy every minute and see to it that she did as well. Another husbandly duty that I would excel at. Pleasing my wife was my specialty.


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N Happy National Chocolate Ice Cream Day! Could there be anything better? hehe It's also National Frozen Yogurt Day, which is a healthier alternative I suppose. I'm not sure why it would be VCR day, but that was also a choice. And a shout out to Daniel Boone, because it's his day, too. Have an ice cream or yogurt in his honor!**

**I don't know if many of you heard, but earlier this week, the Cleveland Browns signed a 9-Year old and let him participate in the team OTA's with them for the day as part of his Make-A-Wish! See, it does happen :) I had to smile at the age, the timing, and just the incredible coincidence with this story. If only other stuff I wrote came true...**

**In the sporting world, the hockey playoffs are tied, basketball plays game two tonight, and we have our first Triple Crown Winner in horse racing in forever. I'm not a racing fan, at all, but I admit that even I tuned in to see if he could do it. It's always nice to see sports history. Oh, and Serena won another title in tennis. Another sport I don't follow much, but still, it's awesome.**

**True cat story time: I'm not sure what was wrong with me yesterday (think I had a work hangover from Friday, was a crap day) but I was very much "fuck this noise" for the entire day. Perhaps my Logan was channeling Ms. Rainbow, but this morning at two am, he got into bed with me and snuggled in, which he usually does for about ten or fifteen minutes, before he goes on his merry way. Not this time. He left, but came back, about four times over the course of an hour, just letting me hold and love on him. So, today's a better day already, even though I'm going to be tired as hell. I'll be in and out all day, (movies and birthday parties, oh my!) so review replies might be sporadic, but you know, as always, that I will get to them.  
**

**For now, the honeymoon continues. A little insecurity from our pregnant Reed Girl, but our Cockyback knows how to handle that shit. I hope you enjoy the fun, and I'll see you next week for a reunion with the rest of the gang, and our favorite furball in Tallahassee :)**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 39

"It really makes you feel tiny, you know?"

I looked up from the controls on the boat to where Reed Girl was lounging on the deck, wearing only a tiny red bikini and sunglasses. She looked hot as hell. "What does?"

"Being here, on the water. It's so huge, and we're so small in comparison. I don't know…" She trailed off and shrugged.

"Speak for yourself, short stuff. I'm pretty damn huge."

That made her giggle. "In your own mind, sure. But think about it. Below us, there are creatures that are thousands of times bigger than you. Doesn't that make you feel small?"

I snorted. "Nothing about me is small, baby. And I'll be reminding you of that visually very soon." I steered the boat in the direction the captain had told me about, where there were some hidden coves. I had every intention of making love to Reed Girl on the water, and that would be a good place to do so.

She tipped her sunglasses up and smirked at me. "Did you know that the average penis size of the blue whale is eight feet long and a foot wide? That's bigger than your entire body, Champ. And that's only the _average._ I bet the biggest one is like twelve feet or something, maybe thirteen. That would be two of you."

She laughed herself silly at the expression on my face. I couldn't fucking help it, though. Picturing a penis that was twice the size of my body end to end was disturbing. And a little emasculating, if I was being honest.

"I don't want to know why you know that." Yes, I kind of did. But I wasn't asking.

She grinned. "What do you think I learned in all those marine biology classes I took? I was thinking of majoring in that, remember? I'm full of fun marine facts."

I couldn't help but laugh. "You're full of something, baby."

She came up behind me and slipped her arms around my waist. "Did I mention how sexy you look piloting a boat? And how is it that I didn't know you knew how to drive one?"

I leaned back into her. "I grew up in Florida, baby. Dad had a boat when we were kids. I can't sail, though. Never had the patience to learn that."

She pressed a kiss to my shoulder. I was shirtless, wearing only blue swim trunks. Her hands moved up my abs. "I like it. You're very skilled." Her lips moved across my back. Fucking hot.

"Are you sure it's me who's got you worked up, Reed Girl? Or is it the whale penis?"

She giggled against my skin. "It's definitely you." Her hands caressed my pecs. "It seems unfair that while I get bigger every day, you get sexier."

I stopped the boat and pulled her in front of me. "You are plenty sexy, baby." I ran my hands over her hips. "You're perfect."

She snorted. "Did you see that one woman at the bar when we were getting the boat? She looked like a model. I'm pretty sure she was one."

I shrugged, having no clue. "I have no idea."

"She was looking at you like you were something to eat."

"Can you blame her?" I caught her fist before she plowed it into my gut. "Seriously, baby, she was there with some dude who looked old enough to be her grandfather. Of course she was checking me out, wishing she could have someone like me instead." I pulled her closer, rubbing my hard-on against her. "But she can't, because I'm one hundred percent yours."

Reed Girl melted into me with those words. "You are, aren't you?"

"Yes. And though this might get me in trouble, you have a way better body than she did."

She snorted at that. "Now I know you're lying."

Fuck that noise. "Seriously, baby. You have beautiful curves." I grabbed a handful of her ass. "She had the body of a twelve-year-old boy, with the fake tits of a porn star. I don't find that sexy." My fingers slipped under the bottom of her bikini so I could feel her silky skin. "Your boobs aren't the only thing that I hope don't disappear after the baby comes."

"Yeah?" She tilted her head back to look up at me.

"Yeah. I like being able to hold on to you." I bit her earlobe. "I like being able to thrust into you as hard as I want without worrying that I'll break a rib or something because you're too bony."

She laughed. "I'm pretty sure I've never heard of that happening."

I grinned at her. "You never know. Maybe we'll see it sometime on one of those _Sex Sent Me to the ER_ shows."

Her giggles erupted again. "I'm banning you from watching that show. It gives you crazy ideas."

"You can't ban me, baby. You can only distract me by giving me actual sex."

She inhaled a deep breath. "I guess, if I must." And before I knew what was happening, she'd reached behind her back and undone her bikini top.

I watched with interest as it fell away. "Not that I'm complaining, but the show is most certainly not on right now."

"It probably is somewhere in the world." She shrugged her top off and stood before me in nothing but those skimpy bottoms. "Besides, you got me all worked up watching you steer."

I hooked my fingers in her bottoms. "Remind me to get a boat when we get home."

She laughed. I don't think it'll have the same effect in freezing cold temperatures."

That was a valid point. She wouldn't be nearly naked then, which would be a travesty. "I thought we were going to find that cove."

"We will. After." She untied my trunks. "I want you to fuck me on this boat, in the sunshine, with nothing around us but gorgeous blue-green water." She tugged my shorts down, and I kicked them off.

I glanced around. There were no boats around, but…

"We're taking a chance."

"That's what makes it fun." She set her glasses aside and tossed mine with them. "And the longer you wait, the greater chance there is that someone will catch us."

That was a very good point. And what was I doing worrying about anything when my wife was practically begging me to fuck her? I pulled her bottoms down. "Right here, then?"

She pulled me over to the bench, pushing me down. Then she got on her knees in front of me and took me into her mouth.

"Holy fuck."

I'd had a billion sexual fantasies over my lifetime, and I'd lived quite a number of them, but there was something so incredibly hot about having my sexy, naked wife giving me a blow job in the middle of the ocean. This one hadn't been on my list, but it should have been. So fucking awesome.

When I couldn't stand it anymore, I pulled out of her mouth and nudged her down. I got on top of her and slid inside. It was hot, we were sweaty, and the sun was beating down on us as I fucked her. We rolled all over the deck, with her finally getting on top of me. Watching her throw her body back, the sun glistening on her sweaty sexy skin, was enough to set me off. I touched her clit, and her fingers joined me as we both worked over her. So fucking hot. She clamped down around me, and we both came hard.

She lay on top of me, kissing my neck. "We can knock a boat off the list of places we need to have sex."

I chuckled. "We got the boat, the plane, and on a beach on this trip. Not bad at all, baby."

"Now all we need is a train."

Silly Reed Girl. "That's not all. There are plenty of other vehicular-type places."

"Like?"

"Farm equipment, a tractor of some sort. A riding lawn mower. ATV. Dune buggy. A semi. A submarine. The Goodyear Blimp."

She laughed harder with each idea that I spouted off. "I stand corrected, Mr. Cullen. You are quite the connoisseur of vehicular devices."

"It's a talent, baby. But I'll see what I can do to make those happen."

She giggled. "I look forward to it. Especially the blimp. I don't even know how that could work."

"Where there's a will, there's a way. And I have a very strong will."

She kissed my nose. "You have a very strong something, all right, Mr. Cullen. Now, I'm afraid I'm going to have to put my suit back on or my ass is going to be very red."

I gave it a light smack, which made her squeal. "I kind of like it a little red, Mrs. Cullen."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you do, but this is the kind of red that will make me unfuckable for a day or two."

I lifted her off me and was up before she'd finished speaking, grabbing her bottoms and helping her on with them. She laughed her ass off as I got her situated before I put my trunks back on. Thankfully there were no boats as far as the eye could see.

"You like to play with fire, don't you, wife?"

She laughed as she cuddled into me. "Fucking you in daring places has worked out well for me in the past."

Fuck yeah it had. "This is true, Mrs. Cullen. Shall we look for that cove now?"

"Yes. I'm not done with you yet."

Yep. Best honeymoon ever.

Xoxoxoxox

"What do you want to drink, baby?"

Reed Girl frowned. "Water, I guess."

Model chick had been sipping some concoction that had my wife salivating. Silly girl. She totally wanted one of the fruity drinks. I'd get her one, minus the alcohol. I left her lounging by the pool and wandered over to the Tiki Bar.

"Hi. Can I get a bottle of water and whatever those fancy drinks you make are, minus the alcohol?"

The bartender nodded and got to work while a throat cleared behind me.

I glanced over, and there was the chick who had gotten my wife's ire earlier today. She was in a tiny black bikini that barely covered her nipples, her fake tits spilling out all around them. I hadn't been bullshitting when I'd told Reed Girl that that shit didn't appeal to me. She looked ridiculous.

"Hi. I'm Senna."

Senna? What the fuck kind of name was that?

"Hey." I wasn't giving her my name. There was no reason to.

"Are you enjoying your vacation?"

I rolled my eyes, which she couldn't see because I had my sunglasses on. "It's my honeymoon, and yes. I'm enjoying it very much."

What was taking the bartender so long? It wasn't like he had to mix a bunch of alcohol. I could actually feel Reed Girl's eyes on me, so I made damn sure she knew I wasn't encouraging conversation. I turned my back on weird-named chick.

"I'm on my honeymoon, too."

I fought back a laugh. "Really? I thought maybe that was your dad or your grandpa."

Instead of yelling at me or storming off, she laughed. "Yeah, well, he works a lot, so I have a lot of time to myself. Do you know how I could maybe fill it?"

A deaf man could have heard the invitation in her tone. She wanted to be full of something, like my cock. Too bad that wasn't an option.

"There's karaoke. Maybe you should try that."

"I was thinking of something maybe a little more active. I could use some exercise."

"We're on an island; there's water all around. Why don't you take a long swim?"

We both whirled around at the sound of my wife's voice behind me. Oh, she was pissed. And she was sexy as hell, with her brown eyes shooting fire. So fucking hot. I held my hand out to her, and she took it, curling into my side.

"I'm getting you one of those drinks, minus the alcohol, baby."

The bartender, finally getting his shit together, showed her that I wasn't lying by setting the drink down in front of me.

"Thanks, Champ." She wrapped her lips around the straw, taking a long sip and hollowing out her cheeks.

I might have let out a little moan at the sight.

Reed Girl grinned. "You want a taste?"

"Always."

She stood on her tiptoes and pulled my head down to hers, kissing me soundly. Her tongue met mine, and I got a taste of the tangy fruit, along with the taste of pure Bella. It was awesome.

What's-her-ass had disappeared during my wife's territorial display, not that I'd noticed until she let out a little snort. "That'll teach her for hitting on my husband."

"You're a possessive one, Mrs. Cullen." I grabbed my water bottle and linked hands with her. Instead of heading back to the pool, we walked down to the beach, plopping down on an empty blanket.

"Takes one to know one, Mr. Cullen." She took another sip of her drink. "Besides, one of us had to get rid of her, and you weren't doing it."

I tilted my sunglasses down and shot her a look. "I most certainly was. I told her I was on my honeymoon and having an excellent time. I commented on the fact that her husband looked like her grandpa. And I was about to tell her to go to the gym when you suggested the swim."

Reed Girl sniffed. "Well, she needed to cool down, clearly. And I was kind of hoping she'd get eaten by a shark."

I pulled her onto my lap, situating her so that she straddled me on the blanket. "A shark would choke on her because she's all bone."

I knew that my girl was feeling a little self-conscious. Her body was changing and the hormones were raging, but she had to know she had nothing to worry about.

"Didn't I show you on the boat, twice, that I think you're the sexiest woman alive, Reed Girl?"

She sucked her lip into her mouth, biting down on it, but nodded.

"Don't you know that there's not another woman on the planet who could ever tempt me away from you?"

She released her lip and sighed. "I know. I just…she's so perfect and I'm-"

"Don't you dare call yourself anything other than perfect. Do you know what I see when I look at that chick?"

Reed Girl shook her head.

"I see desperation. Fuck, you can practically smell it coming off her, baby. She's clearly not happy with her life or herself. She wouldn't have had to purchase her tits and God knows what else if she was. Do you know what I see when I look at you?"

Teary brown eyes met mine. She shook her head.

"I see everything. You're my entire world. You're beautiful-you always have been, but you're even more so now, because you're happy. You are, right? You're happy with me and with our life."

She let out a little sob and threw her arms around me. "Of course I am. You've given me more than I ever dreamed I'd have. Sometimes I can't believe this is my life. It's almost unreal."

I held her for a few moments before pulling back so I could see her face. "This place might be a dream, but we're as real as it gets. And I don't blame you for being protective of that. We both know I'm the same way."

She laughed and nodded.

"But you have to know that a hundred models could line up to give me a blow job and I wouldn't be tempted. You're all I want. All I'll ever want. You _know_ that, Bella."

"I know. I hate to be cliché and say that it's the hormones, but I swear it is. My heart will tell me I'm being ridiculous, but the rest of me reacts in all the wrong ways, even though I know it's silly."

"You can claim me anytime you like, Mrs. Cullen. I'm yours to do with as you please."

She kissed me. "I like the sound of that." She got to her feet. "I'm going to get the sunscreen. I can't get burned if I'm going to claim you later."

I shook my head and watched her stroll back to the pool. Her ass filled out her little bikini in all the right ways. How she could think anyone could measure up to her-or hell, eclipse her-was beyond me.

She got the sunscreen and stopped off at the bar. She threw back her head and laughed at something the bartender said, shaking her head. Motherfucker better not be hitting on my wife. And I was just as bad as she was. I knew that. So did she.

I raised a brow when she came back with a beer. "Is that nonalcoholic?"

"No, but it's not for me, it's for you." She sat next to me and gave me a soft kiss. "You're sweet not to drink because I can't, but this is our honeymoon. You should indulge a little."

I brushed her hair off her shoulder and nibbled her neck. "I'm indulging a lot, baby. And loving it."

She squealed and squirmed away from me. "Me, too. And I want to indulge some more shortly. Can you put the lotion on me?"

I took the bottle and squirted some into my hand, smoothing it over her shoulders, down her back and arms, before working my way to the front. "Lie back, baby." She did, and I moved down to her feet, taking the opportunity to feel her up as I protected her gorgeous skin. She was a moaning, writhing mess by the time I got to her bikini bottoms. I let my fingers trace the lines of her swimsuit, and yeah, I dipped in a little bit, making her gasp and moan all the more.

"You know, we're not on our private beach, Champ. Might want to lay off before the hormones make me forget that there are people around and I attack you right here."

I laughed at her breathy warning. Like I'd give a shit? Well, I mean, I wouldn't let anyone see her naked, but the blanket was big… I could totally wrap us in it. It'd be hot, but we'd survive. Still, there was a time and a place.

I moved my hands up to her belly and leaned down. "Tell your mom to behave herself, Dani. Here I am, innocently protecting her from the sun, and she's getting all excited and inappropriate. We can't take her anywhere, can we?"

Reed Girl laughed her ass off as I worked my way up to her awesome breasts. "Watch those hands, Cullen. You wouldn't want to be responsible for me misbehaving in front of our daughter, after all."

I ran my fingers over her nipples and watched her gorgeous eyes darken. "We can use you as an example of what not to do."

She smacked my hand away, as I'd known she would. Still, she was laughing and having fun again, which had been my goal. Hormones were a pain in the ass, but I could counteract that shit. I was awesome like that.

"We both know you're going to be the example of what not to do. You're the one who claims he won't let her date until she's thirty. God help you if she has your libido."

"That's not… Don't even joke about that, baby." It was a horrifying thought. "She won't be like me. I won't allow it."

Reed Girl laughed and rolled us over so she was on top of me. "Dani will be lucky if she's like you. You're smart, sweeter than anyone would ever guess, funny, sarcastic, determined, loyal, and you have an amazing heart. I want all that for her."

She floored me. "She can have all that, along with your talent, your gorgeous looks, your patience, your sense of humor, and your heart, which is way better than mine."

Reed Girl bent forward and kissed me, melting into me. After a few minutes, she pulled back and smiled down at me. "I'm in favor of all that."

"Me, too. Mix that with the libido of a eunuch, and we're good to go."

That set her off in gales of laughter. "God, it's going to be fun to watch you be a father. I kind of can't wait."

"Well, I know I'll fuck it up now and then, but I'm going to do my best to be a good one."

She shook her head and ran her fingers through my hair. "You're going to be an awesome father, Edward. There's not a doubt in my mind."

I didn't know about awesome, but I knew I'd work hard at it. "I'll do my best, baby."

"Your best is as good as it gets, Champ. And, though you may fuck up a time or two, I'll be at your side to help you deal with it. Just like you will be for me."

Her faith in me made the nerves I still felt about being a father slip away. "There's no place I'd rather be, Reed Girl."

"Me either, Edward."


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N Happy National Strawberry Shortcake Day! There are other more important ones, like Flag Day and Abused Women & Children's Awareness Day, but come on. I had to go with the yummy dessert goodness :) It's also National Bourbon Day, so drink up! **

**Forgot to mention this last week, but I've been asked to participate in the Fandom Lymphoma & Leukemia Society Compilation. It seemed only fitting to say yes in honor of our little Danny. I haven't decided what I'm going to write yet, so if you have any suggestions, feel free to put them forth. Keep in mind that a Rainbow POV is coming up, and I am posting Dani's first date as an epilogue of sorts, so those are out. Anything else is fair game, so let me hear your suggestions!**

**Sorry I'm a little late. This morning has been insanely busy already. I grocery shopped, then I had to clean out my freezer bc my water dispenser isn't working, so it needs to thaw. Then I walked 4 miles. Then my TV box decided to be a douche, so I had to reset all that. Blah. I should go see Jurassic World again to toast myself for accomplishing so much. Saw it yesterday, loved it! If any of you happen to be secretly cloning baby dinosaurs, I would like one as a present. It has to be an herbivore, since I don't want my cats eaten, but other than that, no restrictions. hehe Yes, I'm strange. We already knew this!**

**No tears ahead, as far as I know, but there are some mentions of the little guy, and of course, reunion with Rainbow time! Don't worry, next time they got to the island, she's going. Supermodels beware! Hehe Have a great one and I'll see you all next week with more!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 40

"She's gonna be pissed as hell," I warned Reed Girl when we got to the door.

My wife just grinned and shook her head. "She's going to be so happy to see you that she'll forget to be mad, at least at first."

I snorted at that one. It was probably true. Rainbow would find a way to punish me later.

"Hopefully she got some of it out of her system with Jasper."

She snickered. "Why do you think I suggested we leave her with them? She's been a good girl for entirely too long. She probably needed to blow off some steam just as much as we did."

My hands wrapped around her, and I gave her ass a squeeze. "Luckily for us, she's fixed, so she can't blow off steam the same way we did. The last thing we need is more Rainbows running around." Although, now that I thought about it, that would be pretty cool. They'd be like my little minion army, taking out anybody who annoyed me. I could totally sic them on any boy who came sniffing around my daughter in the future.

"Whatever you're imagining, forget it," she told me with a laugh, raising her hand to knock.

"Attack cats," I murmured, making her giggle harder.

"Only you."

The door opened, and Shorty grinned at us. "You're back! Oh my God, you're both so tan! You look awesome! I'm totally jealous." She stood back to let us in.

Jasper stood from where he'd been on the couch and started heading our way, but before he could reach us, a gray streak ran between his feet, causing him to curse and hit the floor. I didn't even have time to laugh before Rainbow launched herself into the air. I caught her and brought her to my chest so she could head-butt me to her heart's content. How could I not after a greeting like that?

Rainbow purred and rubbed all over me as Jasper got to his feet, grabbing his ass as he came toward the door.

"It's been two damn years, and she still hates me. Will I never be forgiven for things I did when I was high?"

I laughed and shook my head. "Doesn't seem like it. You made yourself a powerful enemy, man."

He sighed. "Don't I know it? Come in; take a load off. As you can see, Rainbow missed you. She's barely moved from your chair since you left."

He sounded a little bit put off by that. I didn't want to know why, so I brushed it off and carried Rainbow over to the couch with me.

"So, how was it? Tell me everything! Where did you end up?" Shorty was practically bouncing off the walls she was so excited. "Emmett and Rose will be here soon. We thought we could get some dinner together."

"We'll tell you all about it when Em and Rose get in." Reed Girl leaned into me. "How were things here?" She stroked Rainbow's back.

I tried to hand her over, but the claws dug into my shirt.

Reed Girl laughed. "She's not budging from you for a while, Champ, especially with Jasper here."

He sat in my old recliner, sulking. "It's so unfair."

Shorty giggled as she sat on the arm of his chair. "Well, Jasper's not exaggerating when he says that she barely left that chair during waking hours. At night she slept in our bed, but-"

"She kicked me out! She stole my pillow, and when I tried to move her, she hissed and swiped at me!"

Shorty rolled her eyes. "You could have moved her, Jaspy." She shook her head. "Rather than risk her wrath, he slept on the couch."

"With Jimi and Hendrix, since they knew better than to try to sleep in our bed with her there either. Male solidarity."

I had to laugh at his ass. "Look at you, afraid of an eight-pound cat. You're losing your man card, Jasper."

He pointed at me. "Ha! You know what she can do. You'd be afraid too if she ever turned on you."

I grinned smugly at him as Rainbow burrowed her head into my neck, purring away. "But she won't." At worst, she'd ignore me for a while once she remembered that she was pissed at me for deserting her. And that would be bad enough.

"Yeah, yeah! Everybody loves you."

There was a knock on the door, and my brother and Blondie let themselves in.

"Yo, bro! Looking well-rested. Ready to hit the field again?"

I smirked. "Always."

Reed Girl snorted. "Well-rested my ass. He went to the gym every morning while I was still asleep."

"Thatta boy!" Emmett gave me a fist-bump before pulling my wife to her feet and giving her a gentle hug. "Hello, little mama." He put his hand on her belly. "Hi, niece. It's good to finally see you. I'm your favorite uncle, Emmett. I'll be the one you come to for beer and condoms."

"Then you'll be her favorite dead Uncle Emmett," I warned.

Reed Girl just laughed and got a hug from Blondie. "Hi! It's so good to see you."

"You, too." Blondie eyed the belly. "Wow! There she is! You look fantastic, Bella."

"Doesn't she?" I grinned when my wife rolled her eyes. "Told you, baby. That bitch doesn't hold a candle to you."

"What bitch?" Blondie asked as she sat down.

I pulled Reed Girl onto my lap, as space was limited. She sat sideways, and Rainbow put a paw on her shoulder.

"This chick on the island," I replied.

"What island?" Shorty demanded. "I want to know where you went."

Reed Girl smiled softly. "Oh, Alice, you should have seen it. We were on Musha Cay, this island in the Bahamas that David Copperfield owns. There are only five cabins, so it's almost completely private. We had our own house with this pier where they dropped us off; it led right to our front door. It was gorgeous. I have tons of pictures."

"It sounds awesome. So who's the chick, then?"

All eyes turned to me, which was fucked up. I hadn't done anything. "Some chick named Senna hit on me. I shot her down. End of story."

"Senna?" Shorty shrieked, getting off the arm of the recliner and grabbing a magazine. "This Senna?"

She thrust the cover of Vogue in our faces, and sure as shit, that was the girl.

"I _told_ you she was a model," Reed Girl hissed.

"She's like a mega model, one of the hottest models out there at the moment. She just married this oil tycoon, and…oh! She was on her honeymoon, too. She hit on you?" Shorty demanded.

I shrugged while Reed Girl nodded.

"Looks like a mega bitch," Blondie decided, tossing the magazine away. "What did she do?"

"She asked Edward to help make her stay more active." Reed Girl threw air quotes around the word active. "I suggested she take a swim, hoping the waters were shark-infested if she did."

"You did more than that, baby." I grinned at everyone. "They have an outdoor movie area, so we went one night. A big movie screen, benches under the stars, popcorn; all the shit you could want. It's pretty awesome. Bella requested _The Great Gatsby,_ which you know she's a sucker for." I couldn't say how many fucking times she'd made me watch that damn movie.

"Oh yeah. We bawled our eyes out in the theater," Shorty remembered.

Ha! Good, then they knew exactly how my girl felt about that movie. I'd fully expected her, with her hormones raging now, to lose her shit all over the place, but no. "So, instead of getting teary and upset when Leo gets shot and calling Daisy a cowardly bitch like she _always_ does, my wife loudly announces that that's what he gets for trying to break up a marriage."

The room busted up laughing as Reed Girl just smiled. "I was just trying to make a point."

I laughed. "I think the point was well received, baby. She didn't come near me again, not that we were around them much."

"And that was what I wanted." Reed Girl smiled. "I actually would have felt kind of bad for her if she hadn't hit on my husband. Hers was on his phone every time we saw him."

That was true. The couple of nights we'd dined in the main room, he'd been on the phone. It had been more than a little rude and distracting, so we'd mostly dined on the dock instead. We'd liked it better there anyway.

"So you were on an island with a billionaire and a supermodel? You must have forked out the bucks, bro."

I shrugged at Emmett's comment. I had, but it was totally worth it. "Nobody, not even the wait staff, asked for an autograph or bugged me in any way. It was about as private as it gets without being completely alone. And I prefer that to camping."

Reed Girl giggled. "I'll say. It was beautiful, seriously. The food was fantastic, the water was gorgeous, and the house was perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better honeymoon."

I gave her a kiss, making Rainbow grunt when I shifted her. "That was the goal, baby."

"Well, I'm damn jealous. We should go to an island for our honeymoon, Jaspy. Obviously not that island, but maybe we could do a resort."

"Sure, Wife. Whatever you want to do," he agreed.

Reed Girl nudged me, and I knew what she was hinting at. "Not that we want to go on your honeymoon with you, but they do have a huge ten-bedroom house that we could rent sometime. Bella and I agreed that maybe in a couple of years, when the baby's a little older, we could all go as a family."

"Hell yeah!" Emmett held out a fist for me to bump. Blondie smiled and nodded, while Shorty looked like she was going to pass out with joy.

"Mom and Dad could come, Charlie, maybe a few of my teammates. I'm sure we could fill the place."

"That sounds incredible. I already can't wait!" Shorty bounced up and down on the chair and would have fallen off if Jasper hadn't put an arm around her. He knew his woman's exuberance for sure.

"Speaking of Mom and Dad, have you heard from them?" I asked my brother. They'd been on their cruise for a little over a week now.

"Dad sent a text when they first got on board, but nothing since. You know how expensive it is to have your phone on during a cruise."

That was true. Speaking of, I slid my phone out of my pocket and turned it on. I hadn't had mine on while we were on the island either. Everybody knew where I was, so I didn't expect to have missed anything.

It booted up, and I saw I had a few texts, so I pulled them up and my heart did a little lurch when I saw the name Danny. Reed Girl squeezed my leg in support as I pulled them up.

_Hi, Edward. Dad says you're on vacation but I just wanted to tell you that I tried to watch the playoffs but couldn't because you're not there. Maybe next year ok?_

Chelsea. She was texting me just like her brother had.

_I have to go back to school tomorrow and I don't want to. Danny missed a lot but I'm still used to him being there._

My heart hurt for the kid. I couldn't imagine having to return to the classes she used to attend with her twin. It had to suck ass.

_People are being weird. Girls I never talked to are being nice to me. Boys too. I hate it._

That one had been sent yesterday. Fuck, I felt bad that I hadn't responded yet.

"You okay, Champ?" Reed Girl asked, stroking my leg.

"Yeah, I just don't know what to say to her. How do I respond to that?" I read the texts out loud, and the jovial mood was replaced by sad contemplation.

"Tell her that you understand that it would be weird to go back to school, when she's used to seeing her brother there. And that you'd hate it too if people who never talked to you before suddenly started being nice, but that they're just trying to be understanding. Ask her what she would do if one of them lost a sibling, and say that you bet she'd be nice because she was a good person who cared about others. That's all those kids are doing, as well."

I stared at Jasper. "Where did that come from?"

"Years of psychology." He shrugged. "I told you I want to be a counselor."

Yeah, he had. It had never occurred to me that he might actually be a good one. "That was good. I'll tell her that." I started texting.

_Hey, Chelsea. It was good to hear from you. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I just got back from my vacation, and my phone was off while I was gone._

_I know it's probably really weird and hard to go back to school without your brother there. I don't think I would like that much, either. And I know kids are treating you differently, but they're just trying to be nice. You'd probably be nice to them if they lost someone they loved, right? Try to keep that in mind when someone you don't know is nice to you. It's not easy, but you're strong, and I know your brother would want you to be nice to them._

_I'm here if you need someone to talk to. You don't have to be nice to me. We both know you're pretty good at putting me in my place. I'll be home in a couple of days, so maybe we can hang out soon._

Reed Girl kissed me after I sent the final text. "That was perfect. You're a wonderful man, Champ." Her eyes were a little wet, but thankfully she didn't cry.

I hugged her to me. "Thanks, baby."

Shortly cleared her throat. "Why don't we go look at menus and order in tonight, ladies? I don't think any of the restaurants around here can compare to dining under the stars on the water, so let's not try to compete."

Reed Girl got up and smiled at me. "Anything in particular you want?"

"Just you."

That got me another kiss, while Shorty awwed and my brother made gagging noises. Fuck him. My girl was all I needed.

"I'm all yours. But I'll get you something you like as well."

I thanked her, and the girls filed out, going into the bedroom to no doubt gab about more than just food.

"How are you doing, by the way?"

I looked up at Jasper's question. His blue eyes were focused in on me like he was trying to see into my head.

"I'm good. Bella was right to get me out of town. I needed to get out of my head for a bit." I nodded at him. "Thank you for wearing the jersey in the bowl game. I know it was your only real start in one, but it meant a lot to him. He didn't stop smiling and laughing the whole night."

Jasper waved that off. "Please. It was easy, and I was happy to do it." He smiled. "And it doesn't look like it'll be my last game either."

My brother let out a whoop next to me. "You're staying?"

Jasper nodded. "I've got another year of eligibility, and it looks like Ali might get a job within her department. I should hear soon if I got into the master's program, so why not play another year while the freshmen get a little more seasoning?"

That was awesome. "That's great, Jasper. I'm glad you're going to play more." Who knew? Maybe he'd get drafted with another year under his belt. "Time to get back to the championship game."

He laughed. "I'm going to try."

"You'll do it." I believed that. "And since they play that game on a Monday, I'll be there, straight from my playoff game."

Emmett hooted. "Gotta love the confidence, little brother!"

I shrugged. "I nearly got there this year, so why not? I'm only going to get better."

Emmett shook his head. "I'd challenge that, but I know you probably will. And I hope you do. I want Super Bowl tickets."

Of course he did. "I'll see what I can do."

"So, you really got hit on by a supermodel, huh?"

I laughed. "Yeah. She's nothing compared to my Reed Girl, though."

Rainbow let out a little meow, obviously in agreement.

I sat back, holding Rainbow, and enjoyed the laughter and joking that commenced. My wife had been right, as usual. The alone time, followed by time with my friends and family, was just what I'd needed.

Xoxoxoxoxo

"I wonder if this picture will end up in the paper." My brother held a little polka-dotted white Seminole outfit up. "This is cute as hell. I'm getting it."

I had taken no end of ribbing from them over the damn pictures of Sammy and me that had been published a few weeks ago. I hadn't gotten much shit at the time because I was dealing with Danny, but now it was apparently fair game. The _New York Post_ had run a giant "It's a Girl!" headline, and baby gifts had poured into the Giants offices, from what I'd been told. I'd given Alec permission to donate most of it but to pick out a few things that seemed handmade or personalized to keep. It seemed the thing to do.

I grabbed a little garnet onesie with balloons on it that said F, S, & U on it. Yeah, we were stocking up on Nole baby gear at Bill's Bookstore while we were here. May as well. I also got an "I'm the cutest Seminole fan" onesie, because my baby damn well would be the cutest. No doubt about it.

Reed Girl smiled at the pile that I'd accumulated. "You're going overboard again, Champ."

"We've got to stock up, baby."

Jasper ran over with a tiny Nole jersey with his name and number on it. "This is from me!" He was fucking thrilled about it.

"Where did you get that?"

He gestured over to where the jerseys were. I went over and felt a little pang when I saw that mine was there, on sale. I mean, I got it. I wasn't playing anymore, but still. Edward Cullen should never be on sale. It was just wrong.

Reed Girl came over and put her arms around me. "We have to get one for her. She needs to wear her daddy's number, just like I do." She held up her charm bracelet. One of the charms she never took off was my number.

"Well, I'm not really on the team anymore…" I started to put the jersey back, but she grabbed it from me.

"You're always going to be a Seminole, Champ. One of these days in the near future, they'll retire your number."

That was a fucking cool thought. "You think so?"

"You won two championships for this school, Edward. Of course they will. They should have already."

The fact that they hadn't had her looking a little outraged. It was really fucking awesome.

"Well, with you on my side, they surely will." I grabbed a newborn onesie with my number on it.

Reed Girl shook her head and added a jersey in each size so she wouldn't outgrow it all too fast. "Every kid we have is going to wear one of these. When they outgrow it, we'll frame it or something. That would be cute, right?"

I had to smile at her. "That would be great, baby."

"Do they have any baby chastity belts? I figure Edward will want to get started on guarding her early on."

I flipped my idiot brother off. "Joke about it all you want, asshole. Wait until you have a daughter on the way. Turnabout is fair play."

Emmett grinned. "Only boys in these balls, baby!" He cupped his groin and shook it.

Blondie walked up and smacked him upside the head. "Keep that up, and there won't be any balls to make boys or girls." She held out a little cheerleading outfit. "How cute is this? This is from her Auntie Rose."

"It's adorable. Dani will be the cutest little football fan ever."

I showed everyone the onesie I'd found. "Already declared."

"What did you say? Did you say her name is Dani?"

Oh, shit. We hadn't officially told them yet. I exchanged glances with Reed Girl, and she nodded.

"Yeah, we already talked to Danny's parents about it, and they were honored when we suggested naming her after him. Her name is going to be Danielle Elizabeth Cullen."

Reed Girl had been adamant about wanting to use an E somewhere in our baby's name, and Elizabeth just sounded better. Plus, it might make the GrandMonster happy-not that I gave a flying fuck, but it didn't hurt either.

"I love that name." Shorty popped up with a baby hoodie. "From Aunt Alice."

"Dani Cullen." Emmett sounded it out and smiled. "Yeah, I like it. Maybe she won't be too much of a girly girl with a boyish name."

"She'll be whatever she wants to be," Reed Girl announced with a small smile. "Although, odds are, with us as parents, she's going to be a tomboy. I was climbing trees and playing in mud puddles when I was little."

"Maybe she'll be the exact opposite. A complete fashionista. Can we get her ears pierced?" Shorty asked, pointing to the jewelry area.

Reed Girl laughed at the horror that no doubt washed over my face. "I think she can wait on the earrings, heels, and makeup, Alice."

Yes, she could. A long fucking time. Like forever.

"But babies with their ears pierced are so cute!" Shorty bounced around. "I got mine done before I was one."

That explained a lot. And no way was my daughter going to become another Shorty.

"She'll let us know when she wants that, and we'll discuss it then." Reed Girl pointed between herself and me. "In the meantime, you can spoil her with clothes and toys."

"I can do that." She bounded off to do more shopping.

I pulled Reed Girl into my arms. "Thank you, baby."

She laughed. "No problem, Edward. I personally think jewelry on babies is dangerous. Our little girl isn't going to have any until she's old enough to take care of it. And not choke on it." Reed Girl shuddered. "Just the thought of that freaks me out."

"Me, too." Though I had an idea for something… She wouldn't have to wear it right away though.

Shorty and Blondie started shrieking over some little jumpsuit they'd found. Reed Girl cuddled into my side as we watched our family racing around grabbing baby items, much like Sammy and I had up in Jersey.

"We're going to have a hard time keeping her from getting too spoiled, aren't we?" she asked with a laugh.

I glanced over at the pile I'd made on my own and gave her a guilty look, which only made her laugh harder.

"Maybe I should amend that statement to _I'm_ going to have a hard time keeping her unspoiled." She tilted her face up to kiss me. "I'm going to be the bad guy, aren't I?"

"Just until it comes to boys. Then I'll take over." I would have no fucking problem saying no to dating. I was already ready for that.

Reed Girl just laughed and shook her head. "This is going to be fun, Cullen. A lot of fun."

Even though she was laughing at me, as I watched grown men losing their shit over baby girl clothes, I had a feeling she was right. It was going to be fun. And scary as hell. But fun, too.


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N Happy Father's Day! Seems like the day to focus on, given our Cockyback's impending fatherhood :) It's also Go Skateboarding Day, which might be something to do with your dads and husbands, although I'd be careful about that one. Father's Day in the ER doesn't sound like a good way to go! I hope you all have a great day with your fathers and husbands or whomever. I got to see my daddy on Friday night for dinner at my favorite restaurant. I got to have my banana cheese pie and I'm still on a high from it! Best thing ever.**

**In the sporting world, congrats to the Blackhawks and Warriors fans and condolences to Lightning and Cavs fans. Myself? I'm just happy that basketball and hockey are over because it means we're closer to football season. It's the little things, people. hehe There was a no-hitter in baseball last night, always cool, and the US Open is going on in golf. Have you seen that field? My parents are big golf fans (why? I do not know) so I was forced to watch some on Friday. Well, they watched and I read. hehe**

**GB and SC both advanced in the voting at the Fanatic Fanfic Awards! Thank you all for that! Last day of voting for the finals is today, so if you want to head over to fanaticfanficawards dot com and do some voting, great! Twilight is well represented there. Deb has a ton of noms and planetbluefic and lots of others. Plus there's some good stories in other fandoms to check out.**

**Might be a little tissue warning for some of you in this chapter. It's time for Edward to show what a great friend he can be to Chelsea, and what a fantastic dad he's going to be to his own little girl. You have a great one and I'll see you next week for moving day! For them, not me, thank God. I hate moving :) See you then!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 41

"Home sweet home, at least for a couple more weeks." I dropped our bags and set Rainbow down, and she scampered off to reacquaint herself with the place, or take a shit-or whatever it was she felt the need to go do.

"There's so much to do." Reed Girl placed the carry-on that she'd been designated to bring up on top of the luggage I'd carried. "And I don't feel like doing anything but getting back on that plane and going back to our island."

I chuckled and pulled her to me, kissing her neck. "I know. Reality isn't quite as appealing, is it?"

She turned and put her arms around my neck. "Our reality is. I'm just sleepy. I think I'm going to take a little nap before I call Emily to plan for tomorrow."

She was starting her music program the next day, and she was really excited about it. "You can't wait to get started, can you?"

Her smile was bright. "I can't! We're starting with recorders, since that's easiest, and Emily said those had arrived already. And they have a piano, so I'm going to pull some of the more promising or interested students onto that. She thinks some of the parents are going to want to pay for private lessons, so I have to get that together and look for some teachers. I'd like to do it all, but-"

"You have a lot on your plate, baby, not the least of which is taking care of this baby." I rubbed her belly. "Maybe we can look into hiring some retired music teachers, if there's enough interest. We'll see how it goes."

"Yeah." She snuggled into me. "You're going to stop by, right?"

I nodded. I had a commercial shoot for Nike along with my own plans for tomorrow, but I was going to do my best to see my wife in action.

"I can't wait to see you at work, baby."

"It's going to be so much fun." She gave me a kiss. "Do you want to take a nap with me?"

Like I could resist? "Of course, Reed Girl. I'll be in shortly, okay?"

"Okay." She took the toiletry bag and headed toward our room. Rainbow zipped after her.

I took out my phone and went to the living room. The texts that I'd received today were waiting for me.

_School is still weird. I feel like everyone is watching me. Why won't they leave me alone?_

_Tomorrow is fish stick day. I hate fish sticks._

I couldn't blame the kid on either front. Fish sticks were gross, and it had to feel strange, being at school without her brother and being treated so differently. She'd sent her texts from a new number, so it seemed that she had her own phone now. I programmed her into mine before making a call.

"Hello."

"Hey, Joyce. It's Edward."

"Hi, Edward. How are you?"

"I'm good. We just got back home. How are you doing?"

She let out a strangled noise. "Holding up as best we can, I guess. Things are…hard right now."

Stupid question, Cullen. Way to go. "Yeah. I'm sure. Listen, I heard from Chelsea and-"

"Is she bothering you? We got her a phone of her own…" She broke off with a sigh. "Overcompensating, I guess? But if she's texting too much or something, I can stop her."

Fuck. "No. She's not bothering me at all." I didn't know what I should or shouldn't say to her mother about how Chelsea was feeling at school. Was it my place? Was her mom in any form of mind to hear or do anything about it? I didn't think so.

"She happened to mention that she didn't like what they have for lunch tomorrow. I'm going to be out and about taking care of some things, so I thought maybe I could bring her something to eat? Hang with her a bit?"

"She'd love that. I didn't know she didn't like what they were serving. Maybe I should pack her lunch? I'm back at work for the first time in forever. Some things are getting by me, I guess."

I couldn't blame her for being unfocused. "You have a lot on your plate. Let me help a little if I can. I'd really like to see her. Do you think you could call the school to get me clearance? I doubt in this day and age that I could just show up."

"Oh, yes. Of course I can do that. I'll call them right now. Are you sure it's no trouble?"

"No trouble at all. I was thinking it could be a surprise, so if you could not mention it…"

"I won't. She'll be thrilled. She's been…well, we've all been down, of course. I think she'll be really happy to see you."

"I look forward to it. Can you find out what time she has lunch when you call in and then let me know? I don't want to miss it." Nike better have their shit together at the shoot, because I was leaving on time.

"Sure. I'll make the call and let you know. It's really great of you to do that for her."

"I'm happy to. Is there anything I can do for you and Steve?" I felt so fucking useless, which I hated. I wanted to do something for them.

"Thank you, but no. We just have to try to find a new normal. I guess it takes time."

"It does. If you think of anything, don't hesitate to call me."

"I won't. Let me go make that call before I forget. I'll send you the information."

"Thanks, Joyce. You take care of yourself."

"I will. Thanks, Edward."

I sat back after we disconnected, closing my eyes. I hated not knowing what to do. Her pain-their pain-was as clear as day, and I wanted to help, but how? I couldn't just send them off on a vacation like Reed Girl and I had taken. They had jobs and school, and hell, it might hurt them worse to be on a family vacation when one part of their family was no longer there.

I felt rather than saw Rainbow burrowing into my lap. I stroked her fur. "I don't know what to do for them, Rainbow."

"You're doing it."

Fingers combed through my hair, so I opened my eyes and saw my wife smiling at me.

"You're supposed to be napping."

"I missed you." She sat next to me and leaned into my side. I slid an arm around her.

"Sorry, baby. I just thought maybe I could go see Chelsea tomorrow and bring her lunch since she doesn't like what the school serves. It's stupid, I guess, but it's something."

"It's not stupid. You're being a friend, and don't think I don't know that you're figuring if the kids are going to stare at her, they may as well stare at her hanging out with the Giants quarterback instead of looking at her for being the kid whose brother died."

The way the woman saw through me was almost scary. "She hates the way they're treating her. So do I."

"And it's for that reason, and very many more, that I love you, Edward Cullen." She kissed my cheek and stood, holding out a hand. "Now, how about we get that nap?"

"Can it be a naked nap?"

I lifted Rainbow off my lap, giving her a few treats to keep her from bitching.

"Like there's any other kind?"

"Sounds good to me." I pulled her into arms. "Though I'm not that tired, so I might have to burn off a little energy before I nap."

"Naked energy?" she asked, smiling up at me.

"That's the best kind."

"True. Let's get to bed, Champ. Wear me out so I can sleep a little."

"It would be my pleasure, Reed Girl."

"It'll be both of ours, Cullen."

Always.

Xoxoxoxox

I pulled up in front of Chelsea's school, grabbing the bag with our food before heading inside. My shoot with Nike had gone off without a hitch, though I was a bit curious as to how my wife was going to react to the scene of me wiping my sweaty forehead with my shirt, abs on display for all the world to see. I couldn't object since it was for their dri-fit technology, but she might not like it. Then again, she might just jump my ass when she saw it. That would be fun.

I checked in at the office and was directed to Chelsea's classroom. She was due out in a few minutes, so I just leaned against the wall and waited for her. The door opened, and I had to laugh at the reactions of the little kids walking out of the room. One look at me had most of them craning their necks and then stepping back. Maybe I looked a little scary to little kids? My size was probably intimidating.

Chelsea came out alone, her little head down. Fuck. I called her name, and her head whipped up, her mouth dropping open in surprise.

"Edward? What are you doing here?"

I grinned at her. "I had to rescue you from the dreaded fish sticks, didn't I? What kind of friend would I be if I didn't bring you something better for lunch?"

A smile lit up her face, and she launched herself at me. I caught her and gave her a hug. "How are you doing, kid?"

"A lot better now that I don't have to eat fish sticks." She cuddled into me, and I rubbed her back for a few seconds. "It's really nice that you're here."

"It's good to see you." I put her down and took her hand. "Sorry I was out of touch for a bit."

"That's okay. Dad said you were on your honeymoon. Where did you go?"

I told her about the island as we walked to the cafeteria. Her eyes got wider and wider as I talked about the water, the pool, and the outdoor movie theater.

"That sounds so cool! We were talking about maybe going to Disney World this summer but…" She broke off and shrugged. "That was before."

She didn't have to say before what. "Well, if you don't go this year, I imagine that once our Dani is a little older, we'll be taking her to Disney. Our family lives in Florida, so we visit there a lot. Maybe you could come with us."

"Really? I'd like that."

I swear the noise level in the cafeteria dropped from a dull roar to pure silence when Chelsea and I walked into the cafeteria. I saw her take a deep breath and square her little shoulders before she marched us forward. She took a seat at the table in one of the back corners, farthest away from where everybody else was.

"Don't you want to sit with your friends?" I asked her as I took the chair across from her. The plastic chair was pretty small and flimsy, and I was a little afraid I might break the damn thing, but I perched myself on it as gingerly as I could.

"No. They don't know what to say to me now. It's weird."

I took out the Jersey Mike's regular turkey sub I'd gotten her, along with my giant one. She grinned as she tore into it. "I love this!"

I grinned at her enthusiasm. "Yeah, your mom told me what you liked." I gave her the bottle of apple juice I'd picked up as well. "Why didn't you tell her that you don't like fish sticks? She was a little surprised when I called her."

Chelsea shrugged and fiddled with her wrapper. I reached out and touched her hand.

"She's got more important things on her mind than me not liking some stupid fish sticks."

Fuck. What did I say? "There's nothing more important to your mother than you and your brother."

Her blue eyes held so much sadness. It fucking killed me.

"Just because Danny's gone… Life goes on, Chelsea. And you need to talk to your mom and dad about how you're feeling. You guys need each other now more than ever, you know? I know it sucks and it's weird, but your brother wouldn't want you to shut everybody out. He told me to look out for you in particular because he knew it would be hardest on you."

Tears spilled down her little cheeks, and I felt like a giant asshole. "I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have said that."

She shook her head and got up, coming over to where I sat. I pulled her onto my lap and let her cry into my shirt.

"He was my twin, and we were always together," she murmured, finally pulling back to look into my eyes.

Jasper and I had talked about Chelsea more before I'd come home. "You feel like a part of you is missing. That's normal, Chelsea."

"I don't like it."

I wiped her tears away. "Nobody would. But Danny's always going to be with you, even though he's not here. He's watching over you, just like any good brother would do."

She nodded. "Mom said something like that." She glanced around and noticed that all eyes were on us. "Great. Now they're all staring at me because I cried."

I gave her my best smirk. "Quite the ego you've got on you, kid. Do you think you're the only one around here who's cried in front of people? I bet that happens all the time. But just how many handsome football players come to this school? We both know they're probably looking at me."

Chelsea stared at me for a few moments before letting out a little giggle. "Missy threw up in the hallway last week. That made her cry."

I tapped her chin. "Well, there you go, then. Nothing's worse than puking in front of the entire school. A few tears? That's nothing."

"Yeah? You really think they're looking at you?"

I grinned and shifted her onto the chair next to mine. "Yeah, I do. Watch this."

My eyes met those of one of the kids who'd played football with us over Thanksgiving. I couldn't name the kid to save my life, but I nodded and gave him a "come over" gesture. He was on his feet in a flash.

"Hi, Edward!"

"Hey, kid. Have you been working on your route running?"

He nodded emphatically. "Yeah! I'm getting really good at that double move that Sammy showed me. Is he here?"

I laughed. "Not today."

And like the flood gates had opened, a bunch of other boys suddenly surrounded us, talking football. Chelsea didn't say anything, but she didn't put her head down or look away either. I put a hand on her shoulder.

"Listen, we'd be happy to give you more lessons. In fact, I'm going to be starting a football camp this summer. It's going to be called Danny's Dream Football Camp, and a lot of my teammates are going to be there, showing kids of all ages how to play football."

Chelsea's jaw dropped at my words. "Really? You're going to have a football camp for my brother?"

I smiled at her. "Of course. Danny was my friend, and he inspired me. Not only will we have kids like these guys,"-I gestured at the boys-"but also kids who maybe can't play anywhere else because they're too sick or too small or whatever. It's going to be open to everyone."

Excited murmurs started around me, but it was Chelsea's reaction I was most interested in.

"Everybody? Can girls play?"

I grinned at her. "What do you think? Do you think I could start a football camp without my best linewoman? You're the best blocker of all these guys."

She smiled. "I am! I want to play."

I ruffled her hair. It was growing in pretty fast. "Good. I'll talk to your mom, but I've mentioned it to her already." I glanced up at the other kids. "Let your parents know that it's coming up, although I don't have dates set yet. Chelsea here will let you know the details when I have them."

"That's so awesome! Will Jason Pierre-Paul be there, too? I want to learn how to hit the quarterback! What about Rashad Jennings?" Questions were firing all around and boys of all ages were coming up, joining us at the table, everyone chattering and excited. That was good.

Even better? Where all the boys went, the girls would eventually follow in their little packs. It wasn't long before a group of girls came up, a little brunette standing in as their leader.

"Hi, Chelsea."

"Hi, Sari."

She tilted her head and looked at me. "My mom has your picture hanging up in our kitchen."

I grinned at her. "Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah, it's up even though it's not June yet."

I laughed. She had the SPCA calendar. From what I'd been told, they'd sold a shit-ton. "Well, June is the best month. That's my birthday."

She twirled her hair around her finger. "She's also got the cover, with you and that pretty cat, up next to it. She cut it off the front."

Was this kid flirting with me? Too fucking funny. "That's my cat, Rainbow."

"You have a cat? Can I meet her?" Chelsea asked, sounding wistful.

Huh. Maybe that was the answer. "Of course. In fact, I'm moving in a couple of weeks to a house closer to here, and I'm going to need your help."

"My help? What can I do?"

I held out my hands. "Well, I thought you'd do the heavy lifting, Chels! I can't risk hurting my arm, after all. I figured you could carry the sofa, the TVs, all the boxes of books, that sort of thing."

Everybody laughed.

"She can't do that! She's too little," one boy told me.

I shook my head. "Nah, Chelsea's the strongest person I know."

She shook her head. "You're silly. I can help put stuff where it goes, small stuff, if you want."

I put my arm around her. "Come on, kid. You think I'm going to put you to work? No, your job will be something much more important."

"What will she do?" one little girl asked me, tugging on my sleeve.

"Well, I've got a baby girl on the way, and I have to tell you, I don't know anything about little girls. I had a brother growing up, and he was a giant pain, you know?" Lots of nods and yeses greeted my pronouncement. "Chelsea, you're going to have to check out the house and make sure that it's a good place for a little girl to grow up. And I'm going to need you to tell me what girls like. I mean, I'm going to teach her how to throw a ball and ride a bike, but she needs to do other stuff, too, right?"

Chelsea nodded. "I can do that. I know what girls like."

"I know you do. I wouldn't trust anyone else with such an important job."

"You can get her American Girl dolls," one little girl suggested.

I had a vague idea of what those were, and if they were the slutty dolls that I'd seen in a TV ad, that shit wasn't happening. But I nodded anyway.

"What else?"

And they were off. The girls were suggesting things, as were the boys. Chelsea was laughing and smiling, adding her own suggestions, shooting down others. I signed some autographs on school paper, including one for the girl's mom who had my calendar. I barely got half my lunch finished by the time the bell rang.

"We have to go," Chelsea told me. "Are you coming to class with me?"

I laughed. "I wish, but I have go meet with some people about the football camp, and then I've got to go to another school. Bella's teaching music to some kids, and I want to be there."

"Okay." She didn't appear to be too sad about it. She gathered up her trash and tossed it.

I took her hand and walked with her back to class. We were still surrounded by most of the kids who'd been at the lunch table.

"Chelsea, I have a kitty, too. Do you maybe want to come over and play with her this weekend?" one of the girls asked.

She glanced at me, and I shot her a grin. I wasn't her dad; it was up to her.

"Yeah, I could do that."

"Cool. It'll be so fun!" And the girl ran off, skipping ahead.

"See, Chelsea? It's not so bad to be friendly, is it?"

"I guess not." She bit her lip. "Can I still text you and stuff?"

I stopped at her door. "Of course, kid. You have to let me know when the next fish stick day is, don't you?"

"Yeah? You'll come again?" she asked, sounding eager.

"Sure, when I can. It's the offseason, so I can work it out. Once the season starts, I probably won't be able to rescue you from the fish sticks, but maybe you could ask your mom to make you lunch on those days."

"I guess."

"Plus, I wasn't kidding. You're going to have to come over to the new house, meet Rainbow, and help me figure out if it's a good place for the baby. And I need your input for the football camp. I'm putting you to work, Chels. You're my consultant, my best helper."

She beamed up at me. "I like that. I'll be your consultant." She threw her arms around my legs.

I bent down to give her a hug. "Thanks for having lunch with me. You keep your head up, and try to have some fun. These kids don't seem so bad."

"They're not, I guess."

I laughed. "They're not. Now go learn something. I can't have my consultant slacking on her schoolwork."

She kissed my cheek and gave me another squeeze. "Okay! I'll talk to you soon!"

"Very soon, kid. Take care."

I watched her run into the classroom and waved at several of the kids watching me from inside. Not a bad first lunch at all. Things had gone better than I'd hoped. She'd talked to some kids, made some plans with one, and was looking forward to the football camp. Danny would be happy, I hoped. And so would his sister, if I had anything to say about it.

Xoxoxoxox

After a long brain-storming session with Alec and some Giants brass, I was able to head over to Miller Elementary, where my Reed Girl was giving her first music lessons. I found the auditorium, where they were holding the class, since it had a piano.

Before I even opened the door, I heard the squeaks and clashing notes of the music. How anybody could stand hours of that was beyond me. But when I opened the door, I couldn't stop the smile from spreading. There had to have been about twenty-five little ones, all laughing and blowing into their little horns. And in front of them all was my Reed Girl, sitting at the piano, a bright smile on her face as she sat next to a little girl and showed her a note on the music sheet and then played the corresponding key.

"It's quite a picture, isn't it?"

I glanced over to where Emily was sitting a few rows from the front, grinning at me.

"Yeah. It's pretty awesome." I walked over and sat next to her to watch the show. "My girl is in her element."

Emily laughed. "She has a way with the little ones, for sure. I'm pretty sure every single one of my kids has a crush on her. The boys want to impress her, and the girls want to be her."

How about that? "Who could blame them?"

"Not me. Bella's the best."

She was. "That she is. And how's my boy doing? I haven't talked to him in a few weeks."

I couldn't be sure, but it seemed like Emily blushed.

"He's good. Really good. He went to visit his mom for a few days, but he'll be back soon." She smiled at me. "We were hoping we could maybe do that dinner one of these nights."

Yeah, we'd never gotten around to going out with everything going on. "Sounds good to me."

"Good. Bella said you went to visit that little girl, Chelsea, today. How's she doing?"

"Holding up, but it's hard on her. I got some kids to come over to our table at lunch today, tried to get her to socialize a little. It seemed like it worked okay."

"I'm sure you made her day. I can't say I've ever had to deal with a child losing a sibling, a fact for which I'm very grateful, but I have had a few lose a parent or grandparent in my time teaching. If you need any advice or anything, I'd be happy to help."

Reed Girl was right; Emily _was_ a cool person. "Thanks. I just might take you up on that."

Up on stage, my girl got everyone's attention. "Okay, we're going to try to do it all together now. Remember, just those four notes I taught you. Here we go."

She sat at the piano, helping the little girl as the students all launched into a semi-recognizable rendition of "Mary Had a Little Lamb." It was cute, if a bit loud, but the thing I couldn't tear my eyes from was my wife, sitting at the piano and patiently helping the little brunette next to her. In a few years, that could very well be her and our little Dani.

"You look like you're about to burst with pride," Emily observed.

"She's incredible." I never forgot, for one moment, that my wife had given up on her dream job to have our baby and to run this charity for me. The smile on her face made me smile myself. She said she had no regrets, but it was a relief to see for my own eyes that it was true. Reed Girl was having the time of her life.

"That was so good! Now, everyone can take home their recorder and the sheet music that I passed out. Practice, but don't drive your parents too crazy."

The parents who'd gathered to bring their kids home, or just to watch, laughed. Emily and I made our way up to the stage, greeting some parents and meeting their kids. I couldn't begin to count how many thanked me for making this possible. Reed Girl was surrounded by parents asking her questions about various instruments and private lessons and all sorts of shit.

It took a while, but eventually everyone cleared out and Reed Girl threw her arms around me. "Did you see? It was so great! Katie, the little girl at the piano with me? She has a real ear for music. I think I'm going to have to work one-on-one with her. Her mother is totally on board."

I laughed and hugged her to me. "Take a breath, baby."

She giggled and did just that. "Sorry. I'm excited."

"I love that you're excited. You were awesome up there. You're a really great teacher, baby."

She gave me a smacking kiss. "Thanks. I had the best time."

"You're a natural," Emily agreed. "I should hate you since I think they all love you more than they love me, but I can't blame them. You were really great with every single one of them."

"Please, they adore you. They all wanted to impress Miss Emily."

Emily gave her a hug. "We'll call it a tie. And now I have something to use against them if they act up in class. The threat of no music time with Miss Bella will keep them in line."

Reed Girl laughed. "Whatever works."

"I've got to go do a few things so I can head home for the day. Thank you both for this program. It really is a godsend."

"I'm glad it's going so well. You and Bella can get together and let me know when you want to do dinner."

"Oh, we will. See you on Tuesday, Bella."

"Bye! Thanks, Emily!"

My wife took my hand, and we headed out of the auditorium. The happy smile didn't leave her face as she chattered about the students. It was quite clear she'd already fallen for them and vice versa.

"Sounds like a great first lesson, baby. I'm so glad you had a good time."

"How could I not? How about you? How was your day?"

I laughed. "It went pretty well, actually. How about I take you to dinner and we can talk about everything?"

"I'd like that." We got to her car, and she wrapped her arms around me. "But tell me… How was Chelsea?"

I gave her a brief rundown.

"It sounds like you did really well with her."

"She's a great kid. I just want to make her happy."

"She's going through a lot, but she'll get there, especially with a friend like you. Maybe we can see if she has any interest in music? I could teach her as well. It was always a good escape for me when my mom was being annoying."

Which was all the fucking time. "Maybe. She really likes cats. I was thinking…"

Reed Girl shook her head, laughing. "Oh no. You're not getting her a Rainbow, not without talking to her parents first. There could be a reason why they had no pets. You guys got lucky with the three of us, Cullen. Get permission, and then we'll talk about it."

I sighed, but she was right. "Fine. I just think, you know, she needs someone to talk to, and talking to Rainbow always works for me."

She kissed me. "I know. You're beyond sweet to want to do that for her. And if her parents sign on, I'm all for it. But you can't get her one, only to have her be unable to keep it. She's lost enough."

That was very true. "Okay, baby. I'll ask. And in the meantime, we'll have her over to the new place. She seemed really excited about it."

"Sounds good to me. You're a pretty fantastic guy, Mr. Cullen."

"Maybe. I have to keep up with my wife on the awesome scale, though. After today, I'm way behind."

She kissed me again. "Well, maybe after dinner I'll give you a chance to earn a few points."

"I'm all about extra credit, baby."

She laughed. "Kiss ass."

"I plan to, later." I gave hers a gentle pat. "Follow me."

"Anywhere, Champ."

I held open her door for her before heading to my own car. I had an incredibly awesome woman, and it felt like we were starting to do something pretty great with our charity. And we were only just beginning. There was a lot more we could do. We _would_ do. I couldn't wait.


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N Happy INTERNATIONAL CAPS LOCK DAY! That was fun! Also Happy Log Cabin day (do any of you live in one?) and International Body Piercing Day. One day, when I've lost more weight, I may partake in a little belly button piercing, if I can get beyond the process. Me and needles do not go well together. A major reason why I don't have a tattoo either. hehe**

**In NFL news, the commish finally heard what Brady had to say, and now has to think about it for a month or so. Seriously, it takes a month to decide on a punishment? I have a feeling we're going to be hearing about this shit for several more months, because Tommy's gonna take it to court, where I fully expect him to win because the science stuff just wasn't correct, by all accounts. I'm tired of it all, and just ready for football. At least July is fast approaching, which means August is just around the corner, which means...TRAINING CAMP!  
**

**Apparently FF has disabled links, so I can't post any for the stuff mentioned below. But if you want to google Giovanni Collection at gigibrooks dot com you'll see the room :) Enjoy!**

**Also, I must thank you for your votes in the Fanatic Fandom Awards! Both SC and GB won 2nd place! Such an honor! I truly appreciate all the love and support you guys give me!**

**I'm so glad you enjoyed last chapter, seeing Chelsea and Edward together again. I promise there's more of that ahead (next chapter!) It's truly rewarding to watch him grow, and to see him and his Reed Girl find their place in the world. That sweet side is showing itself again below. And a little something some of you have requested as well regarding some side characters. I hope you enjoy it. Have a great weekend and a Happy Fourth of July since that'll hit before I post again! Don't blow anything up if you're shooting off fireworks. I'll be stashed inside watching them on TV and keeping my cats from freaking out. They usually handle it pretty well but this is Punkin's first Fourth so we'll see how she does. Take care and I'll see you next week!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 42

"Are you ready, baby?" I scooped Reed Girl up and prepared to carry her into the house.

"You do know that you're not required to carry me over every threshold. We've been married for almost three months now." She grinned up at me.

"I know, but this is our first time walking into our new home since we bought it. It feels like we should do something momentous, and since we're not drinking right now and I'm fresh out of champagne, we can't christen it."

She giggled. "It's a house, not a boat, Champ. And you're supposed to be carrying in the stuff we brought over, not me."

I kissed her and stepped inside. "All in good time, Reed Girl. There's something we really must do first."

Beautiful brown eyes twinkled up at me. "Is it the other type of christening the house? Because I'm totally down for that."

Fantastic sex hormones. I almost forgot about my surprise when she threw sex into the mix. Who could blame me, though? My wife was a sexy handful. Her boobs and ass were even bigger these days, though I knew better than to point that out. A split pair of pants and copious tears after I assured her that I liked her baby booty had taught me a lesson. And no matter how many times she uttered the f-word, I never went there. The sex hormones would leave us if I ever fucked up and called her fat. And that would be a travesty.

"The beds aren't here yet," I reminded Reed Girl as I placed her gently on her feet. "Nor is anything else, for that matter."

We were officially moving in a couple of days, but there had been a handful of things that Reed Girl hadn't trusted the movers to bring over, stuff she didn't want to chance breaking. So we'd packed up our wedding glasses and cake topper, along with some fancy china from her grandmother, and some photos and such. I'd insisted we bring the giant picture she'd given me for Christmas, of the two of us sharing our first kiss as husband and wife, with the water and the sunset behind us. It was fucking phenomenal, and I wasn't risking anything happening to it. And of course we'd brought…

"Where did Rainbow go?"

She'd shot right into the house the moment I opened the door, like she knew it was her new place and she just had to go and check it out. We'd wanted to get her acclimated to it a bit before we brought her over the day of the move. We'd selected the basement bathroom to set her up in during the moving process so she wouldn't get in the way or, God forbid, get hurt or go outside. She'd be pissed, but better safe than sorry.

"Hell if I know. She's probably already selecting her spots."

Reed Girl laughed. "At least she can't get into too much trouble when it's empty."

That was debatable, but I had bigger things on my mind. "Maybe she's checking out the view from the kitchen. Why don't you go look, baby? I'll grab some stuff from the car."

"Okay." She kissed me before wandering down the hallway.

I didn't go to the car. I trailed behind her so that I could see her face when she saw it.

"Edward! Oh my God, what did you do?" She turned to me, eyes teary and shining with excitement. "Is it mine?"

I had to laugh at the disbelief in her voice. "No, I got it for me. I figured I'd learn to play and you could just dust it now and then."

She smacked my arm before throwing her arms around me. "I can't believe you got me a piano! It's beautiful! Is that…oh my God, is it a Steinway?"

And then I was forgotten as she dashed across the room to her piano. If I were to ever get jealous of an inanimate object, it would be now as she cooed over it and touched it reverently. I wasn't, though. I was thrilled that she loved it as much as she did. I crossed into the living room to join her as she gaped at her new toy.

"So, I did okay, baby?" I didn't know shit about buying pianos, but I'd researched the hell out of them online, and most people ranked this one the top of the charts. Plus, they'd had a dealership in New York, so I'd gone in and listened to the salesman play pretty much every single one, except the little ones that I wasn't about to get. Privately, I thought the idea of a piano dealership was a bit fucking insane, but since that shit cost more than my car, I guess it made sense.

"You did beyond okay. This is incredible!" She threw her arms around me. "I can't believe you did this, Edward. It's too much, really!"

I wrapped her in my arms and kissed the top of her head. "It's not too much, Bella. I planned on getting you one for Christmas, but since we decided to find a house, and with everything that went on…I just decided to wait and have it delivered here. There was no point in bringing it up to our current place only to have to move it a month later. So consider it a belated Christmas slash happy homecoming present."

She lifted her head and pulled my lips down to hers. "Thank you," she murmured when we broke apart. "It's truly beautiful." She ran a hand over the glossy black surface. "I never dreamed I'd own a Steinway."

"It was made for you, baby." I kissed her again. "When I saw you playing at the school a couple weeks ago, I pictured you playing here, in our house, with our daughter at your side, learning the notes along with you. It made a hell of a picture, Reed Girl. I can't wait for it to happen."

"Oh!" Her eyes teared up and spilled over. "I can't wait to play with her, to teach her how. You're going to get treated to a lot of concerts, Daddy."

Daddy. Fuck, that word had such meaning now. It made me feel weird at first, when she used it for Rainbow, but now? Now I was going to be a daddy for real. And it was scary but awesome and exciting. And I really couldn't fucking wait.

"I look forward to it, Mommy." I ran my hand over her baby bump. "I considered putting the piano in the dining room, since we're likely rarely going to use it, but it seemed like it fit best here, with the fireplace and the view of the backyard. I can get it moved if you want it somewhere else, but this is where I pictured you."

She turned and wrapped her arms around me. "Here is perfect. _This_ is perfect. And I can't wait to start our lives here, Edward."

I hugged her to me. "We're starting it, baby. Here and now." I released her and gestured toward the bench. "Why don't you play something for me? See if it's tuned well or if I have to raise some hell."

Reed Girl shook her head and kissed me again. "I'm sure it'll be perfect. I'll play for you, though."

She sat on the bench and flipped up the cover, letting out a little moan when she saw the keys. "So gorgeous." She ran her fingertips over them before pressing down on a couple. "Perfect."

And then she launched into a song I recognized immediately. It was our song, the first one she'd ever written for me. It must have been a calling card, because Rainbow came running around the corner, sliding across the floor and stopping next to me. I laughed as I picked her up. We might have to put down a few rugs, or Rainbow would be sliding all over the damn place.

Reed Girl then started playing the newest song she'd written for us, the one she played for her final grade. I sat next to her on the piano bench, and she pressed against me as she continued to play.

Rainbow watched in fascination as Bella's talented fingers moved over the keys. Before I could stop her, she jumped down and made music of her own with her paws. Reed Girl laughed and stopped playing watching as Rainbow batted at the keys and played her song.

"It looks like our oldest wants to learn to play as well."

"If anybody could teach her, it would be you," I told her as some clashing notes rang out.

I shook my head and lifted Rainbow off the keys, placing her on top of the piano. "See how you like that. Play something, Reed Girl."

So my girl launched into another song, and Rainbow started in surprise when she felt the vibrations below her. Then she rolled over, her belly in the air, and just closed her eyes. I was pretty sure she was purring.

"Do you think it's like getting a massage to her?" I asked.

Reed Girl laughed. "Maybe. She sure likes it."

"I figured she'd be a fireplace hog, but maybe she'll take the piano instead."

My wife snorted. "Please, she'll take both. We're nice and close to the fireplace as is."

That was likely true. "I can't wait until we have our first fire, baby. What do you say we do that our first night here?"

She smiled and leaned her head against my shoulder. "I say yes. We have a date in front of that fireplace two days from now."

"Good."

"And Champ?" She smirked. "You're going to get very lucky."

I kissed her. "I already am, baby. But I'll happily take more."

"We both will."

Xoxoxoxoxox

"Close your eyes."

Reed Girl just shot me a look, but she did what I asked and closed and covered her eyes. "It's not like I haven't already seen it, Edward. We picked it out together."

Yes, we had. I hadn't expected us to find the perfect nursery set our first time out, especially not with the seven billion e-mails my mother had sent with various tips and ideas, most of which featured a fuck-ton of pink and billowy fabric and shit. But, I was a fortunate man, because my wife didn't want a typical pink bedroom for our daughter. We'd already had the walls painted a soft yellow color, and we'd agreed to let Jasper submit some designs that we'd consider, not that it was going to need them with what we'd picked out.

The theme of the stuff was teddy bears, which made Jasper's Bob-loving heart fill with joy. He'd seriously shrieked when we'd told him. The crib was white wood with a giant fabric bear attached to the back. The bear was nearly as tall as Reed Girl. We'd also gotten a dresser changing table thingy with the bear painted on it, also white, with browns and golds mixed in. There was an armoire with the same bear, and a lamp and night table, and a bear-shaped chair that had made Reed Girl melt. We also had a wall bookcase thing that hung above the drawers. And yeah, we'd gotten one of those cradle things that had the drapey fabric. It hadn't even been Reed Girl's idea. I'd pictured our little girl smiling up at me from the bassinet, and that had done it.

The room was completely set up by the place we'd ordered it from. We had a big white fluffy rug that took up most of the floor. And over in the corner was the surprise, the reason that I'd had Reed Girl cover her eyes.

"Are you ready?"

She was practically vibrating underneath my hands on her shoulders. "You know I am."

"Okay, take a look."

Her eyes opened, and the smile that lit her face illuminated the whole fucking room, no lie. She oohed and aahed over every piece her eyes fell on, including the teddy bear pictures that the salespeople had thrown in for free since we spent a small fortune buying all their shit. I waited patiently until her gaze hit the corner.

"Oh, my God! That is the cutest thing I've ever seen. Edward, what did you do?"

"She's going to want to be just like her mom, isn't she? So she needs to have her own." I slipped my arms around Reed Girl, cradling our Dani in my hands as we both checked out the little child's piano. I'd even shocked myself by selecting the pink one instead of white to match the room or black to match her mother's. A little girl should have some pink, right?

Reed Girl threw her arms around me and kissed me thoroughly in thanks. When we broke apart, I wiped at the tears that were coursing down her face.

"Happy tears, right?"

She laughed. "The happiest. This is so adorable! Wherever did you find it?"

"The sales guy who sold me your piano. We talked some, and I told him we had a baby on the way. He told me about a baby store nearby that had little pianos, so I had to go check it out."

"Her first musical instrument." Reed Girl burrowed into me. "Thank you, Edward. What a beautiful gift. And a beautiful room."

I grinned and kissed the top of her head. "It's you I should be thanking for that. It doesn't look like a Pepto Bismol explosion in here. My mom's gonna be pissed."

Reed Girl giggled and shook her head. "Oh no she's not. I gave her carte blanche to set up a nursery however she wants at her house for when we visit. She's having a field day."

There was no fucking doubt about that. "She's going to buy that castle crib, I just know it." Seriously, my mother had sent us a picture of a fucking castle crib, accompanied by a note about how our little princess needed her castle. It was terrifying.

"Probably. And she'll have it painted pink."

"She does know that the baby won't be living with her, right?" I was kind of scared that my mom was going to abscond with my daughter when she came up for her birth.

My wife chuckled. "Yes, but she knows we'll visit, and she wants her granddaughter to have all the comforts of home and then some."

"She's going to try to keep her," I muttered, making my wife laugh harder.

"Don't worry, Champ. I'll beat her up if she tries it."

"You'd better, baby."

She kissed me again and turned back to the room. "I can't believe the room is all ready for our Dani. Now she just needs to get here."

"Just about three months now. That's not so long." I slipped my hand over her belly. "We've still got a lot to do."

Birthing classes. I wasn't going to lie, that scared the shit out of me. I'd heard there were videos. Like I wanted to see that? I wasn't so sure I wanted to see it live and in person, let alone on TV.

"You'll go easy on me and your mom, won't you, kid? You'll be one of those awesome babies that just pops out after like five minutes of labor. No muss, no fuss." Then a horrifying thought hit me. "But not in my car or anything. You wait until we get to the hospital."

Reed Girl started laughing so hard that I was afraid she might pop out our kid right on our fluffy white rug.

"Your face! You should see your face right now!" she managed between gasps for air.

"Yeah, yeah. Really funny. Doesn't matter. We're taking your car to the hospital that day." And that was that.

She kept right on giggling, and I joined in her laughter. It was funny because I could totally feel it vibrating through her belly.

Suddenly her eyes got wide and she stopped laughing. "Did you feel that?"

"What? Is the truck here?" We were waiting on our furniture, and the gang was going to be over in a few hours to help us unpack.

"No! Did you feel that?" She moved my hand over on her belly, and that's when I felt it. Below my hand, there was a little vibration.

"Holy shit! Is that her? Is she kicking?"

Reed Girl nodded. "That's her. I think she likes her new room."

I couldn't stop the smile that spread over my face as I felt it again. "Bullshit. She's agreeing to take it easy on us at birth time. It's a kick of agreement."

Reed Girl laughed and put her hand over mine. "Oh, I'm sure she's going to be quite the agreeable child, Cullen. Keep on dreaming."

"I sense your sarcasm." I felt the movement below me again. "That is the coolest thing ever."

"I think she's thanking you for her piano and her gorgeous room." Her fingers linked with mine as Dani kicked again. "And I think she's telling us that she can't wait to join us." She had the most beautiful smile on her face. I was fairly certain she'd never been happier or more gorgeous.

"I can't wait either, Reed Girl." I kissed her softly.

The loud rattle of the truck outside broke us apart. "They're here." I glanced around the baby's room one more time. "Do you want me to move the cradle into our room?"

I knew without asking, of course, but I still thought I should.

Reed Girl nodded. "Yeah, if you don't mind."

"Why would I mind? I get both my girls in the same room for a bit. What could be better?"

I bent down to press a kiss to where I'd felt my little girl move for the first time. "Don't be too hard on your mom for the next few hours, kid. We have a lot to do. Take a nap, and we'll play with you later."

Reed Girl stroked my hair as I talked to Dani. When I looked up, I saw tears in her eyes again.

"Happy tears, I know." I was getting used to them. I straightened up and kissed her again. "Why don't you go down and let the movers in? I'll be down as soon as I move this. Sit in the built-in in the kitchen and tell them where everything goes."

She smirked. "I can stand just fine, Edward."

"Yes, you can, but just like our Dani, you need to take it easy. You'll be on your feet plenty later when we're putting shit away. Relax, for me?" I gave her the look that she could never resist, a little bit pouty, and fought the urge to laugh when she rolled her eyes.

"Fine. But I'm helping later."

"Of course you are, Reed Girl. We'll have plenty to do." Of course, I planned on making sure she did the easiest shit, like putting away clothes and such, but that was still work.

"Uh-huh." She smacked me on the butt. "Let's get a move on, then, Champ."

"Yes, ma'm." I saluted her as she headed out to let the movers in.

I took one last glance around Dani's room as I picked up the cradle, doing my best not to fuck up the drape shit. I had to admit, it was a pretty kickass room. We rocked it.

Xoxoxoxox

"The cavalry is here!"

I shook my head just as Sammy threw his arms around me.

"Hey, dude! This house is fucking awesome. The biggest one on the street."

I laughed and shoved him off me. "Of course it is."

"Are you compensating for-" He grunted when I elbowed him.

"Ignore him." Emily handed me a plate, and kissed me on the cheek. "These are my famous chocolate chip cookies. Bella can't get enough of them."

"Neither can I." Sammy reached for the plate but Reed Girl appeared out of nowhere and ripped it right out of my hands. "Hey!"

"I told you." Emily laughed at the pout on Sammy's face. "Don't worry; I have more cookies for you at home."

His eyes twinkled as they met mine. I shook my head, but of course he wasn't about let that opportunity pass him by.

"I can't wait to eat your cookie later."

Emily just raised a cool black eyebrow. "Watch it, or that's all you'll get to do."

His face fell as she pushed past us both to head inside.

"Do you constantly say the wrong thing and get your ass in trouble?" he asked me as we followed the girls.

My wife was already tearing into the cookies like she hadn't seen food in days.

I laughed as memories of when Bella and I had first gotten together hit me. "I used to. Not so much anymore, but I still have my moments."

"He does," Reed Girl agreed around a mouthful of cookie. "More often than he likes to admit."

I wiped a little chocolate off the corner of her mouth. "That baby booty comment was a compliment, Reed Girl."

She glared at me. "Not to anyone with half a brain, Cullen."

I handed her another cookie, and her glare faded away. "I forgive you."

"It didn't use to be that easy. Thank God for hormones," I told the others, making everyone laugh.

"Where's the terror?" Sammy asked, just as Rainbow zoomed into the room.

"She's been checking everything out." I bent and picked her up when she pawed at me. "She was none too pleased about being holed up while the movers were here."

"Speaking of that, what did you want us to do?" Emily asked after giving Rainbow a pat.

Rainbow purred and cuddled into me.

Reed Girl looked at me. "Well, this one doesn't think I can lift anything that weighs more than a few ounces, so he's assigned me to the bedrooms. Oh! Emily! You have to come see the baby's room. It's gorgeous! And Edward got her a little pink piano. It's the cutest thing ever!"

And just like that, the girls were off to rhapsodize over every little thing.

Sammy grinned at me. "Well, I'm here. Put me to work! And where are the other slackers?"

"Come on. You can get going on the office downstairs. We have a shitton of books, and Reed Girl isn't going to put them away. Once the girls are done with the tour, I'll send Emily down to help you organize them."

Sammy laughed. "What? You don't think I can put them in order? I can read real good."

"Yeah, you're a regular Einstein." I had to laugh at his ass. "You know it's not about alphabetical order; it's genre and shit like that. Don't ask me. I wouldn't even try to put that shit away without Reed Girl telling me what to do. Emily will probably get it."

"True. All right, man, show me this house. I already love the living room. Super Bowl party here next week, right?"

I nodded as I led him through the rooms. "Yeah. Most of the rest of our shit will be here by then. We scheduled the new furniture delivery for the next week or so, figured it would be easier to get it in after we were situated."

The doorbell rang as we hit the hallway. "Go up and check out the bedrooms while I get that."

He headed up, and I answered the door. Kim stood there with a couple of gift bags. I let her in and took her coat. Once she was out of the heavy winter jacket, it was easy to see that she still wasn't showing. She would be pretty soon, but in the jeans and sweater she wore, it wasn't at all apparent that she was pregnant.

"Hi, Kim. How are you feeling?"

She smiled. "Not too bad. The morning sickness seems to have gone away." She looked around. "This place is beautiful."

"Thanks. The girls are upstairs checking out Dani's room. Would you like to go up there?"

"Yes! I can't wait to see it. Bella's been talking about it nonstop."

She handed me one of the gift bags. "I got you each a little something, to thank you for all you've done for me and of course to congratulate you on the house and little Dani. Go ahead. Everybody gives the mom presents, so I thought maybe I'd get you each one."

That was pretty cool. I reached into the bag and took out a picture frame. It was black with silver lettering below that said Daddy's Girl.

"I don't know if you have a desk or what at work, but I thought maybe you'd like to have a picture of Dani with you."

I traced the letters before smiling down at her. "I love it. I'm going to put it in my locker so she'll be the first thing I see when I open it. Thank you."

"Oh, good! I got one for Bella as well, but it's a little girlier."

I laughed. "She'll like that. Come on."

It took a while to get the women, and even Sammy, out of the baby's room. He fucking loved the bear chair. I joked about getting him one, but he actually wanted me to, so that wasn't happening. Fucking goof.

Eventually I got Emily and Sammy to work on the office while I tackled the movies and entertainment shit. I let Kim start on the kitchen, with orders to wait on anything heavy. Reed Girl was upstairs organizing Dani's clothes and ours. She couldn't overdo that way.

Colin and Brady finally showed up together, slacking assholes. I started to send them both down to the basement to get my workout area situated, but Colin came to a dead stop when he saw Kim in the kitchen.

"Who is that?" he asked, nudging me.

"That's Bella's friend, Kim."

"She's beautiful."

I looked at him and saw that same glazed look in his eyes that Sammy had when he looked at Emily and that I had when I looked at Reed Girl.

"Yeah, I guess." He kept on staring, so I yanked his arm and pulled him into the dining room. "Look, she's not exactly available."

He shook his head and focused on me, looking like I'd just told him he'd been traded to Oakland or something. "She has a boyfriend?"

"Not exactly." He started to walk away so I stilled him again. Was I allowed to announce that she was pregnant? I mean, it wasn't going to be a secret for long.

"We met her at the doctor's office." At his blank look, I sighed. "In the waiting room. At the baby doctor's office."

His face finally cleared. "Oh! But she doesn't have a boyfriend or husband? What kind of asshole was she with?"

I laughed, since that had been my immediate reaction. "Look, I don't know a ton about it. From what Bella's told me, she and the father dated for a few months. They weren't in love or whatever, but they were having a good time until she found out she was pregnant. He bailed, and she's doing it alone."

"Dick."

"Pretty much."

"So, can I meet her?"

I stared at him. "You don't care that she's pregnant?"

"Why should I? If the dad's not around, he's not an issue. I'm not asking to marry her; I just want to meet her. She's really pretty."

"Look, man, you don't fuck around with a pregnant chick. She's a good friend of Bella's, and I don't think-"

"I'm not looking to fuck around with anyone," he told me angrily. "I told you I want to meet someone decent, and I figure if she's friends with Bella, she's decent. So, I know she's pretty and a good person. I'd like to know more. It doesn't mean I'm going to hit on her. I just want to meet her."

I held up my hands in surrender. "Okay. I don't want her lifting anything heavy anyway. You can help her put stuff away in the kitchen."

The anger cleared out of his face. "No problem. I'll take care of the heavy stuff."

I led him back into the kitchen. "Kim, this is my teammate, Colin. Colin, this is Kim."

She smiled over at him as she slid the silverware door shut. "Hi. I'm a fan."

He grinned back at her. "It's always nice to meet a fan. Edward says you get to tell me what to do."

She looked confused for a moment, so I clarified. "He's here to be your muscle. Have him put the heavy stuff wherever makes the most sense."

"That works. How about I unwrap everything and you put it away?"

"Perfect." He walked into the kitchen and waved me off. "Where should we start?"

How about that? Colin was actually being helpful and maybe even a little charming. I headed back to deal with the electronics, keeping an eye on them now and then. They seemed to be getting along pretty well, talking quietly. He made her laugh a time or two. Eventually I tuned them out and got lost in the entertainment center. Rainbow curled up against me as I sorted everything.

"Hey, Champ," Reed Girl said quietly a little later.

I looked up at her. "Hey, baby. Taking a break?"

She smiled. "Yeah, I got hungry."

I glanced at my watch and realized it was about time to feed everybody. "You want me to order some pizzas?"

"That sounds good." She looked over to the kitchen. "What's going over there?"

I followed her gaze to Colin and Kim. They were talking quietly, exchanging smiles now and then.

"Colin thinks she's pretty, so I assigned him to help her with the kitchen."

My wife frowned. "What about-"

"I told him about the baby. He still wanted to meet her."

"I don't know how I feel about that."

I stood and wrapped my arms around her. "Me either, but he's actually not a bad guy. Just lonely." I smiled at her. "He said that anybody you were friends with had to be a decent girl, so he wanted to get to know her. I didn't figure there was any harm. I'll kick his ass if he steps out of line."

She burrowed into me. "Okay. I just don't want to see her get hurt again. It's hard enough going through what she's going through alone."

Laughter came from the kitchen, and they were both grinning at each other. "Maybe she won't have to."

Reed Girl smiled then. "Now who's playing matchmaker?"

Fuck that noise. "All I did was introduce them, baby. The rest is up to them."

"Just like me with Emily and Sammy, and you see how that worked out."

I snorted. "Yeah, that reminds me. We should probably go down there to make sure they're not desecrating our office before we get the chance to."

Reed Girl giggled. "We can't have that. Nobody has sex in these rooms until we do."

Damn right. "We'll get one of those rules of the house pictures and make that rule number one."

My wife laughed harder. "We'd be the epitome of class with a picture like that."

"Who cares?"

Reed Girl cocked an eyebrow. "Put it up before your parents get here. We'll see how that goes."

Huh. That wouldn't be good. My mom would kick my ass. "Okay, maybe it'll be a silent rule."

"Silent rules work just as well as silent vows," she allowed.

"Let's go break up the lovebirds and get some dinner. Our first meal in our new house." I thought about it. "Maybe we should do something fancier for our first meal?"

Reed Girl grinned. "Pizza fits us, just like this place does. It's perfect."

Yeah, it was. Pretty damn close to it, anyway.


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N Happy National Apple Turnover Day! Since I used the Popover one a bit back, I decided I had to go with this one. Plus I totally have almost an entire apple pie downstairs from yesterday, so apples are on my mind. It's also National Bikini Day, which I shan't be participating in out of a general love for humanity. I wouldn't traumatize the world like that. Also it's National Workaholics Day, which seems weird on a Sunday but I suppose a workaholic probably works regardless? Andddd it's National Build a Scarecrow Day! Perhaps I'll work up the energy for that one later, if I can find some straw. So weird! haha**

**I hope that everyone had a lovely fourth! I had fun with my bro and sis-in-law and some visiting friends, although the only fireworks show we were treated to was by Mother Nature. That's okay, though. We saw some good ones on the way home.**

**I'm trying to decide if I have the energy to go see Magic Mike XXL for the second time later today. Of course, that could give me energy and then some. hehe If you follow me on twitter, you probably got a giggle at some of my reactions. All were true, though! I'm getting flushed just thinking about it now. haha A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!**

**I think I've decided on my LLS outtake for this story. How do you feel about a Reed Girl POV (the only time I've dipped into her head before was also for the LLS compilation) of Dani's illness, and a look through her eyes when Danny saw Edward wearing his name? I definitely want the little guy included, and this seemed a good way to me. Let me know what you think?**

**Okay, I'm off to either get around to go to the movies or to burrow back into bed. haha Decisions, decisions! You have a wonderful Sunday, and a great week ahead. I have officially written Dani's birth (chapter 45) and dipped back into the head of our furry friend for chapter 46! Perhaps that's why I'm feeling a little sassy this weekend! haha Anyway, we're definitely getting to the big stuff soon! And you get more of Rainbow here, as well as Chelsea, football gang, kittens, and maybe a couple tears again. I teared up anyway, sap that I am. Enjoy and I'll see you next week!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 43

"Hi, Edward!" Chelsea threw her arms around me the moment I opened the door.

"Hey, Chels. How are you?" I hugged her back before shaking hands with Steve and Joyce.

"I'm good! Where's the kitty?"

I laughed and called for Rainbow. She came careening around the corner. Must have been in the living room, where I had a fire roaring in the fireplace.

"Chelsea, this is Rainbow. Rainbow, this is Chelsea." I picked Rainbow up and held her out. "Let her sniff your hand for a few seconds. She needs to decide if you're okay."

Her eyes widened, but she held out her hand. "What if she doesn't like me?"

Rainbow took a test whiff and then gave her a head-butt. "That means she likes you. Rainbow has great taste. I'm her favorite person, after all."

Chelsea laughed and petted Rainbow's head. "She's so soft. Sari's kitty had tougher fur. This feels better."

I was pretty sure Rainbow was preening like she knew she'd been complimented. She started purring up a storm. Thank fuck. She'd never really been around kids, and while I was sure she'd eventually accept Dani, I was a little worried about it. She fucking loved the nursery, and I'd had to put some blankets down in the cradle and crib because she liked being in both. I wasn't sure if we should block her from that or not, but Reed Girl thought we should let her get used to everything before Dani came.

"She is soft." I put Rainbow down, and she rubbed against Chelsea's legs before heading down the hallway. "Why don't you follow her inside? Bella's in the kitchen, and I'm pretty sure she needs a taste tester before everyone gets here."

Chelsea let out a little whoop and zipped inside right away. Her parents smiled after her.

"Are you sure she isn't going to be any trouble? I know you're having some of your teammates over…" Joyce trailed off when I shook my head. "It's the Super Bowl. I'm sure you guys want to drink and curse and all that."

I laughed. "Our party consists of two pregnant women, which means alcohol is going to be very limited. I told the guys they could have a beer or two, but I won't be drinking. And we're all going to have to get used to not cussing in a few months anyway. No time like the present. I want Chelsea here. So do the guys."

"We appreciate it. She was really excited when you invited her." Steve smiled. "Thanks for including her the way you have. It's really helped."

I was doing my best. "I like having her around. She's a great kid."

"She is," her mother said softly. "She hasn't stopped talking about your visit to her school. I'm pretty sure she's a legend there right now."

Good. "I'll definitely have to go by again soon. It was fun."

"Well, we should be going. We'll come back over around eight to get her, if that's okay?"

"Sure, if you want. Or I could bring her home after the game. I don't know when her bedtime is. Or, you know, you're welcome to stay." I issued the invitation again. They'd turned me down, but I figured it was worth a try.

Joyce smiled sadly. "I just…can't. Football was so important to Danny, and it's too hard."

Steve slipped an arm around her. "We're just going to go out to dinner, try to-" He broke off and shrugged. "I don't know."

"I get it." I couldn't blame them for trying to forget for a while. It had to suck ass.

Giggles erupted from the living room. "Edward! Rainbow's on top of the piano!"

"God. I haven't heard her laugh like that in months." Joyce's smile brightened. "You're good for her. _This_ is good for her. Thank you."

This was my opening. "She really likes animals." I shifted in the doorway. "Listen, I know this is kind of weird to ask, but is there a reason that you guys don't have any pets? I mean, like are you allergic or do you hate animals or anything?"

Steve shook his head. "No. We were actually considering getting a dog, but then Danny got sick the first time and it was just too much for us."

Good. I totally understood that. "Well, I'm not trying to push you guys or anything; it's just, Chelsea really lit up whenever I mentioned Rainbow and when that Sari girl started talking about her cat."

Should I? Well, why the fuck not? "This might seem kind of weird, but Rainbow…I talk to her. Like, about the stuff that bothers me or worries me. She's like, an outlet for me or something. And I was thinking maybe Chelsea-hell, maybe all of you-could use one."

Neither one said anything. Fuck. "Sorry if I'm overstepping. It was just a suggestion."

Chelsea chose that moment to walk back toward the door, holding Rainbow like a baby in her arms. "Look, Edward! She lets me hold her. Bella says that's really rare."

No shit it was. "That's for sure, kid. She usually only likes for me or Bella to hold her. She must think you're really special."

The girl positively beamed. "Did you hear that, Mom? She likes me!"

"Of course she does, Chels. You're the coolest."

Chelsea grinned. "I get to have a cupcake when they're cool. They just came out of the oven. Bella says I can help decorate them."

"That sounds great, baby. Will you save me one?" Steve asked, smiling at her.

"Sure. I'll decorate one special for each of you."

"That sounds great," Joyce told her.

"Bella says that Rainbow likes to lick the icing and I can let her have a tiny bit from my finger. Isn't that neat?"

I ruffled her hair. "Just take your finger away the instant the icing is off…Rainbow will keep right on licking and might nibble you to try to get it all. Like this." I tickled her neck, making her shriek and twist away.

"Edward! That tickles!"

"So does Rainbow's tongue. You'll see."

She laughed and headed down the hallway. "I'm going to see right now!"

Joyce and Steve exchanged a glance as they watched their daughter run off. "You might be right about the pet thing," he said.

I shrugged. "It's totally up to you. Rainbow's therapeutic for me, and I can tell her things that I don't want anyone else to know. We can all use an outlet like that from time to time."

Joyce nodded. "This is true. We'll give it some thought."

I nodded. That was all I could ask. "Okay."

"We should get going. If you're really okay with her staying for the whole game, she can. We can come get her after it's done."

"No. I'll bring her home, if that's okay. That way you don't have to try to figure out when it's over. I don't want to watch another team celebrate anyway, not until it's mine."

Steve chuckled. "I hear that. Maybe next year."

"I'll do my best," I promised them.

Joyce hugged me and Steve shook my hand before they left. I watched them go before heading into the kitchen, where Reed Girl and Chelsea were laughing as Chelsea held out a finger for Rainbow to lick.

"Look, Edward! It tickles!"

"Told you, kid." I patted her back before ruffling Rainbow's fur. Then I stuck my finger in the bowl, making Chelsea laugh some more.

"That's not for you! It's for the cupcakes."

"Like you didn't steal some?" I saw the glance that passed between her and my wife. "Uh-huh! I knew it! Icing thief!"

I grabbed Chelsea and held her upside down by her ankles, making her shriek. Rainbow hopped down from the kitchen island and rubbed on Chelsea's face. "Beg for mercy, thief, or I'll dump all the icing on your face and let Rainbow lick it all off."

"Mercy! Mercy!" she yelled, laughing as I righted her.

"Your face is all red, kid."

"That's because you held me upside down, dummy! That's what happens."

I tilted my head. "Huh, are you sure? I've never heard of that. I guess we'll have to try it again-a test, if you will."

I took a step toward her, and she yelled and started running. "Come on, Rainbow! Don't let him get me!" They both streaked out of the room.

Reed Girl smiled at me. "You're great with her, you know?"

"This is the lightest I've seen her since I let her talk to Eli on my phone. It makes me happy."

Reed Girl gave me a kiss. "Good. You better go find her before the gang gets here. I need a cupcake sampler to make sure these are edible."

"I'm on it." I kissed her again and headed out to find the girls.

"Yeah, you are."

Xoxoxoxox

"This sucks."

I elbowed Sammy and glanced over to where Chelsea was sitting on the floor, playing with one of Rainbow's feather toys with her.

"What? That's not a curse word, is it?"

I shrugged because I wasn't sure.

Emily shook her head. "Morons. And it doesn't suck. This is a great game."

It was. The first half, had been fuck up after fuck up by both sides, but the Seahawks and Pats had buckled down in the second half and the Patriots were driving.

"It sucks because we're not there," Sammy clarified, slipping his arm around Emily.

"Goes without saying," Colin piped in. He was sitting on the loveseat next to Kim. He'd surprised her with a jersey for her baby and gotten a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He was still fucking glowing from that shit.

Brady and Paul were having a spicy-wing eating contest at the kitchen table. They were adding all sorts of weird sauces and seeing who could go the longest without drinking. Morons.

Reed Girl was cuddled into my side. I had my arm around her and my hand on her belly, where Dani was kicking up a storm. Everyone had taken a turn feeling her kick, much to my irritation. I didn't like all those hands on my wife, but it had been cute when Chelsea had felt the baby kick and deemed it "weird but cool."

The fourth quarter hit, and the game was exciting as hell, but Reed Girl conked out on my shoulder. Chelsea climbed onto my lap and dropped off as well. Rainbow stretched across Chelsea and put her paw on Reed Girl's belly. I wasn't sure if she could feel the baby kicking or not, but she kept her paw there.

Sammy grinned. "Somehow, I get the feeling this picture will repeat itself in the years ahead."

I had to admit, I was looking forward to it. "I could get used to this."

"You're gonna have to." He glanced at the kitchen, where Emily had wandered to get another drink. "Is it scary?"

I glanced at the little girl in my lap and tightened my arm around my sleeping wife. "Right now? No. It's incredible."

"It looks it."

There was something about his tone that sounded wistful. "You don't have some news for me, do you?"

Sammy laughed quietly. "Shit, no. It's only been a month." But he smiled over at Emily. "But I can see it, you know? The house, the wife, the kids…it doesn't feel years off anymore."

I had to laugh. "I know what you mean. That was the furthest thing from my mind when Bella came along. A month later, I was ready for her to move in, and we were engaged a little more than a year after that. I wasn't supposed to get married until I was thirty or so. Look at me now."

"You look happy. And right where you're supposed to be."

There wasn't a doubt about it. "I am."

"I feel like I'm heading that way." Sammy jutted his chin toward the loveseat. "And what about them? Do you think they're headed anywhere?"

I followed his gaze toward Kim and Colin. He was paying absolutely no attention to the game. They were talking quietly, and his eyes never left her face.

"I don't know. I'd say that's entirely up to her. She's got a baby to think about, first and foremost. I'd say Colin is ready to go all in, but who knows with her. Kids complicate things."

Dani took that moment to kick my hand, making me laugh. "Okay, kid, you're right. And they make them better."

Sammy raised an eyebrow at me.

"Dani kicked me when I said kids complicate things."

He laughed. "She's gonna be a handful, Cullen."

"Don't I know it." But I was really looking forward to it, more and more every day.

Emily came back, and the Pats scored to take the lead with less than a minute to go. The yells from, well, all of us as the Seahawks started driving woke Reed Girl and Chelsea, and we all watched the improbable interception with stunned disbelief.

"That was a stupid call," Chelsea announced. "Why didn't they run?"

"Well, with the defensive personnel they had on the field, it was actually…" Fuck that noise. They had Marshawn Lynch. "You're right. It was a dumb call."

"It's time to go home now, huh?" She petted Rainbow, looking for all the world like she wanted to stay.

"Yeah. _Someone_ has school tomorrow."

She stuck out her tongue.

"Don't worry, kid. We'll all be getting together soon to talk football camp. I need your help to get these guys back in shape."

She eyed Brady, who was still chowing on wings. "Some need help for sure."

He scowled at her. "It's the offseason. I'm allowed to take a few weeks off."

"Okay. But don't cry when I knock you over."

I laughed as I lifted her and got to my feet. "You tell him, Chels. I don't need any outta shape lineman blocking for me, not if we're going to be in this game next year."

"Yeah. Put down the chicken and eat the celery."

He tossed a celery stick at her, which I caught with my free hand. "No throwing food in my new house, moron."

"Yeah, that's bad manners," Chelsea told him.

Everybody laughed, and we said our good-byes to the gang. Rainbow followed us to the door. I put Chelsea down and let her pet Rainbow for a few more moments.

"Can I come back and visit her?"

"Of course. We need to get her used to girls, don't we? You're my consultant. That's your job."

"Thanks, Edward." She got a few more head-butts from Rainbow. "I had fun."

"You'll have a lot more to come, kiddo. I promise." I was going to see to it.

Xoxoxoxox

_Edward! Guess what? Mom and Dad said I can get a kitty! They said it was your idea. Was it? We're going to the shelter on Saturday! Do you want to come?_

I grinned at the text message when I pulled up in front of the house. I was so glad Steve and Joyce had decided to let her get a pet. Maybe I was biased, but I really thought it would help her-and hopefully them as well. They all needed something. To talk to someone. Jasper had asked me if they were getting counseling, but I didn't know the answer to that. Nor did I know if it was my place to ask or to suggest it. Like Reed Girl said, everyone had to grieve in their own time and their own way. Hopefully the cat would help them some.

Before I got out of the car, I glanced up and had to grin when I saw my wife sitting in the window seat. She waved at me before going back to her book. Nine times out of ten, if she was home, she was curled up reading there. It was fucking awesome.

I let myself in and shed my winter gear. The snow was pretty as hell but a fucking pain in the ass. I headed upstairs and stopped when I heard my wife's voice. She was reading to Dani. It was something she'd started since we'd moved in, and it was cute as hell. Dani liked her voice, always kicking when Reed Girl read to her.

" _But I need him. Schmarya needs him desperately. When Schmarya is well enough to stand trial… Well, it mustn't happen. That's why I'm doing this, Schmarya. For you."_

What the fuck kind of name was Schmarya? I stifled a laugh and listened to my wife read on.

" _And then, curiously, the nausea she had felt was replaced by a surge of lusty warmth. But she stood there resolutely, trembling, afraid to give in to it. It had been so long since she had slept with a man. She had almost forgotten what it was like to be held."_

Wait, what? What the fuck was she reading to our daughter?

" _Vaslav slid a hand down to her groin. She could feel his smooth fingers gliding over her mound…"_

"What in the hell are you reading?" I demanded as I hurried around the corner.

Reed Girl smiled and flashed me the book cover. _Dazzle_ by Judith Gould? What the fuck?

"That doesn't look like Dr. Suess to me. Nor does it sound like it."

My wife just laughed at me. It was then that I noticed that Rainbow was stretched across her belly. She'd been doing that more and more lately. She fit over the bump nicely.

"Dani can't tell what I'm reading yet, Edward. She hears my voice and my tone. I could be reading the dictionary, and it wouldn't matter."

Says her. "You don't know what she can understand. Nobody knows. You could be planting ideas in her head, about touching groins and sleeping with fucked-up Russians! It's just wrong. She's just a baby." I glared at my wife, who was chuckling away at my rant. "Why are you reading that shit, anyway?"

She smirked at me. "Because my husband wasn't home to entertain me in other ways. I had to read about Senda getting some since I wasn't."

Well, then. I grabbed her smutty book and chucked it over my shoulder while she laughed and scooted away. Rainbow, annoyed at the movement, hopped off and curled in the corner. I scooped Reed Girl into my arms and carried her toward our bedroom.

She laughed and put her arms around me. "This is very dashing and romantic. Have you been reading my book?"

I had to laugh as I put her on the bed. "I don't go for groins and mounds, Reed Girl. I'm all about the pussy."

Before she could respond, I had my hands on her, followed by my mouth. And unless the word "yes" was the same in Russian as it was in English, I drove all thoughts of her silly book out of her mind.

"Well, that was definitely a nice welcome home," Reed Girl murmured later, when we were both sweaty and breathless.

"I couldn't have you doubting my manhood after reading that stupid book," I told her, kissing her neck and making her giggle.

"The only manhood in that book is the throbbing kind," she said, laughing. "I picked it up when you pulled in the driveway. I was really reading _Pride and Prejudice_."

I rolled to face her. "You were just fucking with me?"

She nodded, looking delighted with herself. "Yeah. It was fun." I poked her side and made her shriek. "That book was my mom's. Seriously, it's older than we are. It's from 1989." She wrinkled her nose. "I have no idea how it got in my things, but once I looked through it, I couldn't resist."

Sure she didn't. She laughed at my disbelieving look.

"You're a mean woman, Mrs. Cullen. Getting me all worked up like that."

She smiled and stroked her fingers through my hair. "I got you worked up and worked out. It did the job nicely."

I couldn't argue with her results. "Yeah, it worked out well enough for both of us." I touched her cheek. "But could you please not read that shit to our daughter? Even as a joke?"

She giggled and kissed my nose. "I guess I can agree to that."

I blew out a breath of relief.

"You're too easy, Cullen."

"Only for you, Reed Girl."

xoxoxoxox

"Come on, Edward! Let's go!"

I laughed as Chelsea came up to me, hands on her hips. She was beyond excited.

"Can I get my wife out of the car first, kiddo?"

"I guess. But hurry." She tapped her feet impatiently as I helped Reed Girl from the car.

"Someone's excited," Reed Girl murmured, smiling at Chelsea. "Thank you for inviting us to help you pick out your kitty. We're pretty excited about it ourselves."

"Mom said it was Edward's idea. Was it?"

I nodded. "Sure, kid. I figured you could use your own Rainbow. You'll have to take good care of him or her and be sure to clean up after them, feed them, and love them, you know?"

Chelsea nodded emphatically. "I know! We talked about it. She can sleep with me, but only if I make sure to feed her every day, and I have to brush her fur and help with the litter box." She wrinkled her nose at that. "I think that's better than having to clean up after a dog outside, though. At least it gets dried in the box."

I had to laugh, even though I kind of agreed. Something about the idea of scooping up fresh shit was disgusting to me. Thank God Rainbow buried her shit well.

"I agree. Shall we head in?"

"Yes!" Chelsea took my hand and practically dragged me over to her parents.

"She was up at five this morning, ready to come get her kitty," Joyce told me, laughing at her daughter's exuberance. It was good to see her smiling for real.

"Thanks for including us." Reed Girl hugged both Joyce and Steve. "Edward's brother picked out Rainbow, so we've never actually been to the shelter to pick out a pet." She shot me a look. "I think we're going to have a hard time leaving here without more of our own."

Considering the fact that those animal commercials made her cry even before hormones came along, I knew we were in for a monumental task. But I only had to remind her that Rainbow was enough of a terror on her own, and I knew she'd avoid temptation. Maybe one day, when Dani was older, we'd let her pick out a pet of her own. Maybe.

"Let's go, Edward!" Chelsea was pulling me toward the door.

"Calm down, kid. There are plenty of kitties in there waiting for you. They aren't going anywhere."

"But I have to get the best one! You have to help me."

I smirked at my wife as I held open the door for everyone. "Well, I do have awesome taste. You can't go wrong listening to me."

Reed Girl laughed. "Don't strain yourself patting yourself on the back."

"I won't. I'm very flexible," I whispered as I slipped my free arm around her.

Chelsea guided us toward the kittens. There were so many. I felt bad for them, stuck in their little cages.

"How do you pick?" Chelsea asked, looking around with sad blue eyes.

"Well, I think you let them pick you." I held out a hand, and this little orange kitten gripped my finger through the cage. "See which ones respond to you, and then you take them out and go over to that play area over there." I gestured to the section where a family was playing with a black kitten. "See who you bond with."

Reed Girl smiled at Chelsea. "You should have seen Rainbow with Edward. She definitely picked him out. His brother had actually gotten her for our friend, Rose, but Rainbow wouldn't budge from Edward. She'd sit on his shoulder and hold on for dear life if you tried to take her away from him."

I grinned at the memory. "It's true. I had no plans to have a cat pretty much ever, but Rainbow changed all that."

"Rainbow is in charge. We just live to serve her," Reed Girl said with a smile. "That's pretty much how cats think, I think."

"Eh, we serve each other," I decided, playing with a beige kitten that was batting at me through the cages.

Reed Girl let out a wistful sigh.

I hugged her to me. "We've got enough on our plates right now, baby. I know it sucks to see them all here, needing homes."

Chelsea and her parents moved up and down the cages, checking the cats and kittens out as I held my wife to me. "Maybe we can't have another right now, but we can help. I'll write them a big check when we leave."

"Okay." Reed Girl sniffled into my shirt. "I just feel so bad for them."

"I know, baby." I did, too. "Maybe we could ask them to use some of the money to build a big play area, to let them out of their cages so they could stretch out and have some fun."

"And we could get them some of that furniture, like Rainbow has, to climb on." Her tears dried up, and she smiled brightly. "I want to do that."

I had to smile at my wife. She had the biggest heart. "We'll do that, then."

"Okay."

"Edward! Come here!"

Reed Girl and I headed to the cage that Chelsea was indicating. Inside was a pair of orange and white kittens with bright blue eyes. They were almost identical; except one had white paws and the other had orange.

"Look! They're fighting over me."

And they kind of were. One would get to the front and the other would shove it out of the way. Chelsea laughed with delight as they wrestled and tried to get to her.

"Maybe we should take them out," I suggested.

Joyce opened the cage, and Chelsea scooped both kittens up, hurrying to the play area.

We stood together and watched as they tumbled all over her, climbing onto her lap and batting one another off.

"It's like they're playing King of the Mountain or something," I said, laughing along with Chelsea as the white-pawed one took down the orange.

"This was a good idea," Steve said. "Thanks for thinking of it."

"It'll be good for her. And hopefully for all of you. You should get down there and play with them," I suggested.

Steve and Joyce went to join their daughter with the kittens. They were all laughing and smiling as the kittens climbed and batted and played.

"Edward, what are they? Boys or girls?" Chelsea called, laughing as one of them started pulling on her zipper.

I looked at the cards on the cage. "The one with the orange feet is a boy, white feet is a girl."

"Okay. So they're like twins right?"

I saw her parents exchanging sad looks. "Well, I don't know if they call cats that, but yeah. They're brother and sister."

Chelsea pursed her lips and nodded. "I thought so. Can I have both?" she asked her parents. "They're a brother and sister, and they shouldn't be split up. Not when they don't have to be."

Joyce had tears in her eyes. "Oh, Chels, I don't know. That's a lot of work."

"I'll take care of them. They need each other to play with when I'm at school and you're working. Please? They're twins, like me and Danny. It's not fair to separate them when they're both healthy."

Fuck me. I was ready to offer to pay for all their food and vet bills all of their lives if her parents said no. Or fuck, we'd take the other one and she could visit it whenever she wanted. Rainbow might kill me, but I wasn't about to let those kittens be parted, not when she saw them as herself and Danny.

"Do you promise to take good care of them? To make sure they always have fresh water and food and they go to the vet on time and everything?" her father asked.

She nodded, wide-eyed. "Yes, Daddy. I'll take care of them, and they'll take care of each other, just like Danny and I did. We'll have a lot of fun."

"Pets are fun, but they're also a responsibility. They're going to be yours if we say yes," Joyce reminded her.

"I promise. Please, Mom? Dad?"

They looked at each other and nodded. "Okay, then. We'll get both."

"Edward! Look! They're both mine!" Chelsea hugged the squirming kittens to herself.

I cleared my throat, willing away the lump that had formed when she mentioned her brother.

"That's great, Chels. You better think up some cool names."

"What's the name of the Seminole horse again?" she asked, coming over to me and holding out her kittens.

"Renegade." I took the white-pawed one.

"Okay. That'll be her name. I'll call her Renny."

I smiled. "Renny, huh? That's original. I like that. And what about this little guy?" I asked, rubbing the soft head of the kitten she held.

"He'll be Eli, after my old favorite player."

Ha! "He actually looks a little like Eli, now that I think about it."

She studied her kitten. "Yeah, he does."

"Renny and Eli are great names," Reed Girl told her.

"Thanks. Can they meet Rainbow?"

I laughed. "Someday, sure. Let's not traumatize them on their first day home, though. Rainbow is tough on fellow cats."

"She'll like them. I know she will. She should have a brother. You could get one today."

"Maybe one day, kiddo. Rainbow has enough to deal with right now, with the new house and a baby on the way. You'll find out that cats don't like change so much."

"Okay. But mine have each other, so they'll be okay, right?"

I touched her nose. "They have each other and you. They'll be great."'

"They will." She came into my arms, careful not squish her kittens. "Thank you, Edward."

"You're welcome, Chelsea." I whispered into her ear. "You know what nobody tells you about pets?"

She shook her head.

"They're the best listeners around. You can tell them all about it when you're sad or upset, and they can't tell anyone else. They'll just be there to love and support you."

"Really?" She stepped back and looked into my eyes. "They'll do that?"

"Oh yeah. Rainbow knows more about me than just about anyone else, except for Bella. Renny and Eli can listen to you, if you let them."

"You tell Rainbow secrets? And feelings?"

"Oh yeah, for sure. She's not just a pet. She's one of my best friends." I felt kind of like an idiot saying it out loud, but it was fucking true.

"Rainbow's my friend, too. And she's going to be Renny's and Eli's friends. And they're going to be my best friends."

"Well, I think that sounds like a very good plan, kiddo. Why don't we head up front so you can adopt them and make them your best friends officially?"

"Okay, let's go!" She was back to full energy, clutching her kittens to herself. "I want to show them their home."

And she was off. Joyce came up and kissed my cheek. "Thank you for this idea. She, well, none of us really feel like being at home without Danny. This is the first time I've seen her excited to go home since before Christmas."

"I'm glad. It was good of you to get them both. I think she needed that."

"She did." Steve clapped me on the back. "We'd better get up there before she signs them out herself."

Reed Girl took my hand as we followed them toward the front. "That was good, Cullen. Really good."

"Do you think we're going to be able to say no when Dani wants a couple kittens?" I asked.

Reed Girl laughed. "Hell no. We'll have to leave that to Rainbow. She'd be a tougher sell than we would."

So true. Rainbow should probably be in charge. She was the toughest of all of us.


	44. Chapter 44

**A/N Happy National Eat Your Jello Day! It is also Simplicity Day, which sounds darn good to me. Don't you hate those nights where you just can't sleep? I legit was watching an episode of Orange is the New Black at 2 AM bc I was still awake. Needless to say, I'm attempting to nap right after I post this. Here's hoping it actually works for me.**

**Also hoping that FF works for me. When I tried to upload this chapter, I got errors. Had to go to a previously loaded chapter, erase everything and paste the new one. I'm hoping that does the trick.**

**Thank you for all the love last week for Chelsea and the kittens :) True story, when I went to the SPCA to get a kitten, almost 8 years ago to this day, I planned on just one. Lily caught my eye and I went to look at her and Logan shoved her out of the way to get to me. He definitely picked me. I couldn't bear to separate them, so I ended up with two as well. Called my mom and told her I'd gotten twins. hehe So that's sorta where that came from :) My kittens are 8 years old now...where has the time gone? Anyway, I'm glad you guys loved it and I loved hearing your own pet shelter stories. Shelter pets are the best ones!**

**I keep getting asked how many chapters are left. I still can't answer that, but we're definitely nearing the end. I might be done at 50? But I'm still not sure. Have to see how the next couple develop. But yes, the chapter you're all waiting for is next :) And we get a reunion here, so that's always fun. At least I hope so! Have a great week and I'll see you soon!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 44

"And if the corner is showing blitz, you check down to the hot read. Did you get that, Dani? The hot read."

Reed Girl's giggles tickled my face where my cheek rested against her belly. "What on earth are you reading to our daughter?"

I kissed her belly and shot her a grin. "My playbook. Just brushing up while we wait." As I spoke, Dani kicked where my head lay on her mother. "She likes it."

Reed Girl stroked her fingers through my hair. "She likes hearing your voice, not your boring football talk."

I smirked at her. "She likes it much better than that crap you were reading her about Vlad and his throbbing member. You probably scared her. She probably doesn't want to come out for fear of lusty Russians."

My wife laughed like a mad woman. "His name was Vaslov. And she's going to come out right on time, in just over a month. Thank God."

One month until I was officially a father. Our due date had been moved up a bit, to early May, since Reed Girl's first doctor was a moronic asshole. I knew that guy was a hack. Thank God Reed Girl was up here with awesome, smarter, female doctors. Much better.

I shot Reed Girl a look. "I thought you didn't read any more than that little passage, but you sure committed that name to memory well enough."

"I might have been curious and read a little more."

I smirked at that. "How much more? That book was like a thousand pages." A thousand pages of smut. Right up Renee's alley.

Reed Girl actually blushed. Fucking hilarious.

"You read the whole thing, didn't you?"

"Well, I got curious! First I needed to read the sex scene because I had to read the payoff after the build-up. Then I wanted to know what happened to her."

I laughed as I sat up to kiss her. "You read all the smut you want, Reed Girl. I don't mind. Especially if it teaches you anything new we can use."

She snorted. "As if we can use it right now. I'm a cow."

"You are not a cow."

But she was right about the sexual experimentation. Those glorious days of sex hormones had passed. We could still do it, but it was a lot more difficult now, and she certainly wasn't as into it as she had been. The book said that was normal, but I didn't like it.

"I'm fat and uncomfortable, and I'm ready for her to get out of me."

Fuck. Non-happy tears were forming in her eyes. Time to fix it.

"You're beautiful, always."

She sniffled at that.

"And of course you're uncomfortable. But don't cry, baby. She'll be joining us soon. And you don't want to have a blotchy face when everyone gets here, do you?"

"What do I care? I'm pregnant. I'm allowed to cry if I want to."

She had a pretty cute pout going on, but I didn't want it to turn into a full-on sobfest. It could happen at the drop of a hat. The last month of pregnancy was clearly the most dangerous one for fathers-to-be.

Fucking hell. "Yes, but if you're crying, my mom will think I did something to upset you. And Blondie will kick my ass. Do you really want me to get beaten up by our family when I haven't done anything wrong?"

"No. I guess not." She wiped at her eyes as I barked out a laugh.

"You guess not? Thanks, Reed Girl. I'm feeling the love."

She pulled me to her, as close as I could get, which wasn't nearly close enough these days. Our daughter was getting rather big. At bad moments, Reed Girl blamed me for that as well; like it was my fault she was tall. Hell, it probably was. The kid had Cullen genes. She was fortunate, which I reminded Reed Girl of when she started getting pissy.

"I'm sorry. You know I love you. I'm just so damn uncomfortable." She squirmed around as much as she could on our bed.

I helped her sit up. "I know you are, baby. But you're about to get fussed over and pampered beyond belief for the next few days. My mom isn't going to let you lift a finger all weekend."

"Maybe. But you won't be here."

Damn right I wouldn't. I thought I was doing pretty well with this whole fatherhood thing, at least from where I'd been about six months ago. But one thing I was not doing, and would never do, was a fucking baby shower. Fuck that noise. Call me sexist, call me an asshole, call me whatever, but that was for girls. Period. End of story. That was mine, and I was sticking to it.

"Reed Girl, you know I love you back. And you know I'd do anything for you. Anything short of attending a baby shower. I don't want to be there, and if you really think about it, I doubt you'd want me there either."

She pursed her lips for a few seconds before letting out a little laugh. "I suppose you're right. I don't want you hearing labor stories and freaking out for the final few weeks we have left."

Exactly. Listening to baby horror stories wouldn't be good for my mindset, which was a lot more positive these days.

"Yep. And you really don't want me opening shit like breast pumps and diaper genies." Both of which she'd registered for, thank you very much. "Nor do you want Emmett and Jasper around, or do you?"

I couldn't think of much worse than my brother running around at a baby shower. And Jasper would probably give random advice on lactating or something. God only knew with him. He had weird shit in his head.

"Good point. That wouldn't be good." My wife grinned at me. "I'll just miss you, is all."

"I'll miss you, too." I kissed her gently. "But it's the last time we'll be apart until after Dani's born. And I owe Jasper this guys' weekend."

"I know. He and Emmett are really excited about it." Her lips twitched. "I can't wait to hear how it goes."

I shrugged. "It's just Atlantic City. Gambling and maybe a little drinking if they want."

Reed Girl cupped my cheek. "You know you can drink, too. I'm not there to be left out, and I want you to have fun."

I shook my head. "I might have a drink or two, but I'm not getting drunk. No point when my wife isn't there to have fun with."

That made her smile. "Yeah? You still want to have fun with me when I'm as big as house and hormonal? It must be love."

"Yes." I kissed her hard. "It is. And I'd show you just how much fun I want to have with you if they weren't going to knock on our door any minute now."

She laughed and snuggled into me. "We'll have to pencil the fun in once they leave."

"Sounds good to me, baby." Maybe the sex hormones weren't completely gone. Thank fuck for that. "The instant we see them drive away, I'm going to jump you. And fuck the pencil. Put that down in permanent ink."

Reed Girl grinned. "Consider it done." She sighed and shifted. "Now, will you help me get up? We should get downstairs because you're right, they'll be here soon."

I got up and pulled her to her feet. She was definitely having issues with her balance these days. Secretly I thought of her like those weeble-wobble toys I'd had when I was a kid. I was smart enough not to say that shit out loud, though.

"Will you help me get on my shoes?" she asked, biting her lip.

I hurried to do her bidding. Last week, after her music classes, she'd burst into tears because she'd worn two shoes that didn't match. Apparently she'd laughed it off at the actual class, but when she got home to me, it was tear-city. She'd been sure I didn't love her anymore because I hadn't noticed her feet when she'd left the house. Since then, I'd taken it upon myself to make damn sure that her shoes matched before she went anywhere, even though she'd apologized for being insane and thinking anything so stupid in the first place. I loved her beyond words, even if she was a little crazy these days. Hell, if I was being honest, it was mostly hilarious, the shit she got worked up about.

"I'm on it, baby." I grabbed some flats and held her hands while she slipped them on.

"Thank you. You're so sweet to put up with me."

I laughed and hugged her. "You've put up with a lot worse from me over the past couple years. And I'm partially at fault for the state you're in."

She laughed. "Partially, huh?"

"It takes two to tango, baby. You forgot your pills, so that part is on you. I have super sperm, so that part is on me. Fifty-fifty responsibility." Sort of. I thought the spread was higher in her favor in reality, but again, I wasn't saying shit that was going to upset her. Pregnant women were like a bomb ready to go off anytime and any place. No thank you. Not today.

"You totally think it's more my fault, don't you?" she asked, smirking.

I shook my head. "Nope."

"Yes, you do. You just don't want to make me cry again."

I wasn't going to bite. She was trying to lure me into saying something stupid. Pregnant women were crafty like that. But I was way too smooth for that shit. "I don't think it's about fault, baby. Dani might not have been planned, but she's certainly not a mistake or something either of us should take the blame for. She's a gift."

Yup, I nailed it. And just like that, the tears were back. But they were happy ones. I could totally tell the difference now. I hugged her to me and let her cry it out.

"She is a gift. Our miracle."

"You're both my miracles."

She tilted her head up, and I kissed her.

"I love you. You're my miracle," she told me when we broke apart.

"I love you, too." I wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Now, no more crying until the family gets here."

Reed Girl laughed. "So I have to keep it together for the next ten minutes? Piece of cake."

"Are you sure about that, baby?" Really, these days, that wasn't a sure thing at all.

That got me a smack on the ass, but at least she was laughing.

"Yes. It's going to take me at least that long to get down the stairs."

I laughed and scooped her up. "Nope, you'll have to spend those ten minutes another way. I've got you."

She curled into me as I carried her out of our bedroom. "Yeah, you do."

Xoxoxoxox

We opened the door together, even though I knew I was going to be invisible the instant everyone laid eyes on Reed Girl. Sure enough, my mom totally ignored me to throw her arms around my wife.

"Bella! Look at you! You're positively glowing! You're so beautiful! And how's my gorgeous granddaughter doing today? Hello, Dani. It's your Grandma Esme. I can't wait until you're here. You just rest up in there and get ready for all the fun we're going to have together!"

Yes, my mother was cooing into Reed Girl's stomach. I couldn't say shit, though. I talked to Dani all the time these days. The book said it was a good thing to do. I'd also read some studies that said she was already learning in there, so speaking to her was important. Yet another reason why my wife didn't need to be reading smutty books to her. Who knew what she might be retaining? It wasn't a chance I was willing to take.

"Edward!" At least someone was happy to see me. Of course that someone was Jasper, but beggars couldn't be choosers. I gave him a half hug, since he was loaded down with bags and presents. My brother was in the same state.

Clearly, my mother had been busy. Not that this was news. We seemed to get new packages every other day filled with baby stuff. We could have twenty babies and probably not use everything we already had. My mom was insane.

"Edward, there's more stuff in the car." That was my mom's acknowledgement of me. Nice.

"You know, she didn't get pregnant alone. There wouldn't be a baby without me. You could at least say hello to your own flesh and blood," I muttered as I stomped over to the rental car. She'd loved me once upon a time. Clearly that was only because of my potential to bring her a grandchild. Now that she had one, I was superfluous.

I grabbed more gift bags and another suitcase from the trunk. I was more than a little alarmed by the amount of shit they'd brought with them. They were planning to leave in a few days, right? We weren't being invaded until Dani arrived, were we?

I turned around and had to stop before plowing right into my mom.

"What? I got it."

"You know I love you and that I'm happy to see you. You'll always be my baby boy." Mom planted a kiss on my cheek since I was unable to defend myself with my hands full.

"Yeah, yeah. I see where I am on your hierarchy. It's Bella, baby, baby stuff, bags, Edward." It was my right to give her shit since she'd ignored me.

Mom laughed. "You never did like to share, even as a child. But I'm sorry. I admit I got a little carried away over my first grandbaby."

"A little?" I asked, lifting the fistful of bags.

"A lot. I'm allowed. Grandmas get to spoil grandbabies. But I wouldn't forget about my son. One of those bags contains my famous double-fudge brownies, along with my chocolate chip cookies."

No shit? "Which one?" Then it hit me. "Are they for me…or Bella?"

Mom shook her head and took the blue bag. "This one. And they're for both of you. Your days of being a selfish sweet-hog are over. Just wait until Dani's taking them from you."

I had to admit, I was looking forward to that day. "I'll share with Bella and the baby. Not Emmett."

Mom laughed. "Then I suggest you hide that bag somewhere. He doesn't know about it, or it wouldn't have made the flight."

Good point. I hurried inside, dumping everything but the blue bag in the hallway. I ran downstairs and hid that shit behind the books, because that was pretty much the last place Emmett would ever look for anything. He wasn't much of a reader, needless to say. Of course I popped a couple of brownies before I went back to greet our guests.

"Edward, where were you?" Reed Girl wrapped her arms around me.

"Just had to put something away, baby. No big thing."

Her eyes narrowed and she sniffed. "Why do you smell lik-"

I planted a giant kiss on her before she could finish her question.

"Damn, bro. We know how you got in this position. You don't need to do a reenactment in front of your family."

I flipped my brother off as I broke the kiss with Reed Girl. "Mom brought us brownies and cookies. Emmett doesn't know. I hid them behind your Austen books," I whispered in her ear, nipping on her lobe just to make it look like I couldn't keep my hands off her. Well, I couldn't, so it wasn't an act. And she could never question my love for her again, as far as I was concerned. Sharing my chocolate with her should be proof enough.

Reed Girl giggled. "Got it," she murmured back. "We have to store up, since we're going to be apart for a couple days."

"Aren't you out of the honeymoon stage yet?" Blondie demanded. She wrapped her arms around me in a hug. "Hello, Edward."

"Hey, Blondie."

I got a hug and hello from Shorty, too.

"It's nice to finally get some attention."

Everyone laughed. "Sure, you've been so deprived all your life." Blondie put a hand on Reed Girl's belly. "You can't blame us for being a bit more focused on the little one."

I smirked. "Yeah, I get it."

"Now that everyone's said hello, how about you show us the baby's room?" Mom demanded. "I've seen pictures, but I want to see it in person."

"Yeah. I need to get to work." Jasper ran off to get something as we herded everyone upstairs.

The oohing and aahing that Emily and Kim had done over the room were repeated at five times the volume with my mom and Shorty exclaiming over everything.

"The piano! It's the cutest thing I've ever seen." Mom threw her arms around me. "You did an awesome job, Edward."

That was more like it. I grinned at her. "Well, it's not the pink monstrosity you probably have going on at your house, but I think it's pretty awesome."

"It's not all pink." Mom sniffed. "I used a lot of purple as well. It's only fair that she gets something girly! This could be a boy's room."

"With a few less bears, maybe," Blondie said. "I think it's gorgeous, though."

"It is!" my mom hurried to agree. "I'm just saying, it's very gender neutral except for the piano."

"I'll take care of that," Jasper announced, coming into the room with a giant suitcase. He dropped it down, flipped it open, and revealed a fuck-ton of art supplies. "I have plans."

"Uhhh," I started, but Reed Girl squeezed my hand.

"We look forward to it, Jasper."

Before I could protest, she leaned into me. "Alice sent me a picture of what he was designing. It's great. Trust me."

And I did. So we left Jasper to his work. I could always get it painted over if he fucked it up.

We hung out and chatted. We got to open some of the presents that were "just because" rather than shower related. My mom was fucking insane. She'd gotten a mobile for the crib that totally matched, along with some more clothes. My kid was probably never going to have to wear the same outfit twice between all of the shit we'd gotten her and whatever the shower would bring.

Jasper worked through lunch, and eventually he called us upstairs. The door was closed, and on the front of it, he'd painted Dani's Domain in pink cursive, with a few colorful butterflies flying around the words.

"Oh, Jaspy! I love the door!" Shorty exclaimed, planting a big kiss on him.

I had to admit, it looked good. "That's really cool, Jasper."

Reed Girl, of course, teared up and gave him a big hug. "It's beautiful."

Jasper smiled. "I'm glad you like it. And now, presenting Dani's Domain!"

He pushed open the door, and we all filed in. I had to admit, it was pretty badass. He'd painted a giant teddy bear on the wall, giving it a pink bow and dress so it wasn't totally like Bob. The teddy bear was playing with a cat that looked exactly like Rainbow, right down to the golden eyes. The wall over the crib had a rainbow curving over the bear head. The colors disappeared into some flowers.

And the coolest thing, at least in my eyes, were the music notes that he'd painted on the wall above the piano. They were being carried off by butterflies like the ones on the door.

"So. That's it. I mean, I can do more, but I thought I'd keep it simple. If there's anything you don't like…" He shoved his hands in his pockets, looking nervous as hell.

"It's beautiful," my wife whispered, tears coursing down her face freely again.

"Happy tears," I announced as Shorty, Blondie, and my mom started to fuss over her. "It's awesome, man. Thanks." I started to hold out a hand to him, but fuck. I knew what Jasper wanted. So I gave him a hug.

"You really like it?" he asked, beaming at me. "You're not just saying that?"

"It's cool, really. It's definitely more girly, but in a good way. Dani's going to love it."

"It's fantastic!" My mom had that look in her eye. I knew what it meant. "We'll have to get together to talk about the room I have for her at home. How are you with castles?"

Jasper chuckled. "I can probably do one. We'll work it out."

Reed Girl threw her arms around him. "I love it. Thank you so much. It's even more perfect than I imagined. You're so talented!"

He hugged her back. "I'm just glad you liked it."

"He's been perfecting it for months, I swear," Shorty told us, dancing around the room. "It's so great, Jaspy!"

"Yeah, I think we're all going to have to have you do our kids rooms-when it happens," Emmett hurried to add at the raised eyebrows he was getting.

"I'd love to," Jasper promised. I swear he had the same pregnancy glow that Reed Girl had. I couldn't blame him, though. He'd scored big with this one. I owed him big time for the joy I saw on my wife's face.

"Everything's on me this weekend," I told him. "Thank you for this. Really. It's beyond awesome."

Jasper smiled. "I won't say no to that."

"Speaking of that, we need to hit the road," my brother boomed. "Ladies, we'll see you in two days."

"Damn, Em, give us a few minutes to get our shit together."

Mom smacked the back of my head. "Not in front of the baby!"

Reed Girl laughed. "I've already resigned myself to the fact that she'll probably know all the curse words before she knows our names."

I pulled her into my arms. "I've cut back, baby. You have to admit it!"

"Yes, you have." She kissed me softly. "Go. Have fun, and give Jasper whatever he wants this weekend. He deserves it."

The smirk on his face made me a little nervous. "Within reason, baby. Some things, and people, are not on the menu."

Jasper burst into laughter. "I have what I want." He put an arm around Shorty. "But I wouldn't say no to a first-class weekend."

" _That_ I can provide. Let's hit the road."

Xoxoxoxoxox

"What a weekend!" Jasper grinned at the money he'd received from the cashier before stuffing it into his wallet. He definitely had reason to smile. He'd made about two grand playing poker. I didn't know if he was a secret savant or if he used his psych talents to read his opponents or what, but he'd cleaned up.

I couldn't complain, either. I'd won a grand. Emmett was down a few hundred. We'd had a good time, though; that was the important thing.

"So do you think we can head home now, or do you think they're still lost in babyland?" my brother asked as he steered us onto the highway.

"I think Mom's going to be in babyland for as long as we're capable of procreating," I muttered, making everyone laugh.

"Shit, dude. You don't know the half of it. She's got the house outfitted already. If you're in need of a babysitter for the next couple years, Mom's your woman."

I knew it! "She's totally going to kidnap my daughter, isn't she?"

Emmett let out a hoot of laughter. "I wouldn't put it past her. Don't worry, though. Dad would rat her out after a couple weeks."

I laughed. "It would only take a couple seconds to figure out whodunit in that case."

"She's just excited. We all are." Jasper smiled dreamily. "Who doesn't want a cute little baby to cuddle?"

Christ. Jasper and his cuddles. That shit would never change, even if he wasn't getting high anymore.

"It's hard to believe that we're only a month away." I was counting down the days at this point. I wasn't uncomfortable like Reed Girl, but I was just as ready as she was to bring our daughter into the world.

"Are you ready?" my brother asked, shaking me out of my thoughts.

"Of course. I'm more than ready for her to get here. And Reed Girl is chomping at the bit."

My brother laughed. "No doubt. She looks ready to pop."

"Don't say that shit to her. I swear to God, if you make her cry, I will kick your ass."

"Chill, bro. I won't upset Bella. Rosie would kick it for you, anyway."

That was true. Blondie was meaner than I was, too. Good to know.

"Besides, I didn't mean that kind of ready. I meant, did you take the birthing class and shit?"

Lord. The horror. "Don't make my mind go back to that." The video. God help me.

Emmett laughed. "You should your face!"

Jasper leaned over to take a look at me. "It's natural, you know. And really beautiful, the birth process."

"It's not beautiful. It's horrifying. Nothing on a human should stretch that way. And there's blood and fluids and…fuck. I don't even want to think about it." I closed my eyes and tried to erase the mental picture. "We've got the breathing shit down. And we have our birthing plan in place."

Reed Girl was taking the drugs. I was pretty sure she might have been willing to go without, but for my sanity, she had agreed that was the way to go. We both knew I wouldn't be able to stand to see her in pain, even if it was to bring our daughter into the world. And we were getting a private room, and Dani would be staying in there with us. I wasn't letting her out of my sight. There were too many horror stories about baby switches and abductions.

"Okay, so you have that down. That's good."

We shot the shit for most of the drive, and I started to get anxious to get home to my wife. So when my brother passed the exit to get to my house, I was not pleased.

"What the fuck, Em? You missed the turn."

"No, I didn't." My idiot brother grinned at me. "We have a surprise for you."

"It's going to be so great!" Jasper clapped me on the back from the backseat. "It's really a present for all of us. Don't worry. Reed knows."

Reed Girl knew? What the fuck was going on?

My brother finally got off the highway and followed the GPS to wherever the fuck they were taking me. He pulled up outside of a YMCA-type building.

"What is this?" I demanded as we got out of the car.

"Welcome to Daddy Boot Camp!" Jasper threw his arm around me. "We're all going to learn what to do once you actually have the baby."

Fuck this noise. "Bullshit. What is this really?"

My brother grinned maniacally. "For real! We're going to learn how to change diapers, give a baby a bath, burp them, all that shit. We didn't get to have a bachelor party for you, so we're doing this."

I didn't even know what to do with this information, but they were herding me inside anyway. "You think this makes up for no bachelor party?" Granted, I hadn't wanted one, but diapers versus strippers? Somehow that didn't seem like a comparable trade off.

"It's going to be awesome; you'll see!"

Emmett was ridiculously excited about the whole thing. I couldn't help but wonder if Reed Girl's smirky comment about it being a fun weekend had been referring to this very moment. I had a feeling it was. Crafty pregnant chick.

We entered into this gymnasium area, where a woman immediately greeted us by thrusting dolls into our arms.

"Cullen, party of three!" my idiot brother shouted. Of course, every other person in the place stopped what they were doing to stare at our asses.

"Take your babies over to the first area, where the tables are. That's where you'll learn diapering."

Fuck. Even though I knew better, I'd kind of hoped to avoid the whole diapering part of being a parent. I mean, we had a nanny all set, and that seemed like it should be her job. Reed Girl had found Mrs. Harris when she'd been interviewing retired music teachers for the foundation. She was recently widowed, and her own children were recent college grads. She loved kids, knew music, and wouldn't hit on me, which were the three requirements that had been number one in Reed Girl's book.

"This is awesome," my brother crowed, dumping his baby on the waiting changing table with a thud.

"That's not how you put a baby down," Jasper corrected huffily. And damned if he didn't gently lay his doll on the table, sliding his hand from underneath the head at the end.

"Very nice," the nearby instructor lady told him before shooting my brother a glare.

I set mine down the same way Jasper had, because I didn't want to get yelled at. The instructor demonstrated removal of diapers, wiping, powdering, and re-diapering several times before turning us loose.

"Piece of cake!" my brother boomed before yanking his doll's diaper off. He wiped, and then dumped about half a bottle of powder on the kid. "Oops." He used the old diaper to wipe some off, which even I knew wasn't hygienic, and then got the diaper out. "See, bro, this is easy as hell." And so saying, he pulled the sticky part right off, ripping the diaper.

"Yeah, real easy," I muttered.

"It is," Jasper agreed. Sure enough, he removed the diaper, wiped, powdered, and put a new one on without even breaking a sweat.

"You have wonderful technique," the instructor praised.

"What the fuck? Did you take this class already?" my brother demanded.

While they were arguing, I removed the diaper and did the wipe down. "It seems to me that since she's a girl, I shouldn't have to change her. Isn't that kind of weird?" I shouldn't be touching her girl parts, even if they were baby parts.

"Are you saying that if you have a boy next time, Bella won't change him and you'll do it all? She might go for that if that's the case, but I think she'll kick your ass if you suggest it." My brother grinned. "I'd like to see you try."

"No, thanks." I wasn't moron enough to say that out loud to my wife.

I poured some powder and got the diaper underneath the doll, straightening it out the way she'd shown, tucking it in, and then fastening the tape. My diaper didn't look as perfect as Jasper's did, but it stayed on, so that was a win as far as I was concerned.

"Good." I didn't get wonderful technique like Jasper did. Damn it.

"Of course, when you're dealing with a real baby, it can be a lot more difficult. The baby moves and must be held and watched the entire time you have it on the changing table."

My brother got another look, since his baby was perilously close to the edge of the table.

"Reach behind your baby and flick the switch," she told us.

The next thing I knew, the damn doll was crying and wiggling. Emmett's fell on the floor, big shocker.

"Emmett! You're going to get us kicked out! This was your idea. Do better!" Jasper hissed. Of course that fucker already had his baby undiapered and was starting the wipe process.

I held my doll as best I could as it wiggled and wailed. I got the damn diaper off and the wiping and powdering done sort of decently. I mean, it wasn't great, but at least it wasn't as shitty a job as Emmett had done. But getting the diaper back on with legs flailing about was a pain the ass. I finally got the stupid tape fastened, but the damn diaper was practically hanging off the kid.

"This is why I have a nanny," I said through clenched teeth as I tried to fix it.

Jasper's was perfect, of course.

"Seriously, how do you know how to do this?" I demanded when I finally got the stupid diaper somewhat situated.

"I watched videos online," he told me calmly. "I want to be a good uncle and, one day, a good dad."

"I'll give you ten bucks to diaper this one," Emmett said, holding his doll out by the neck.

The instructor came by and took it away from him. "If you can't take this class seriously, you don't need to participate."

"I'm sorry! I'll be serious. I want to be able to change my niece." Emmett got his doll back but with a warning that the next fuck up would be the last.

"You're not touching your niece at this rate," I warned him.

"I can do anything but diaper her. You watch. I'm going to rock car seat safety."

I had to laugh. Who would have imagined a few years ago that we'd be here? We'd all come a long way from beer bongs and football groupies. And even though the doll was wailing in my arms and wiggling away, I didn't want to change it for anything. Fatherhood, here I come.


	45. Chapter 45

**A/N Happy National Daquiri Day! Also Happy Ice Cream Day, and Happy Raspberry Cake Day. I could not even begin to pick between the three of those, so I'm gonna celebrate them all, loud and proud. And I actually have chocolate cake with raspberry filling sitting my fridge, so I can truly celebrate! I can't wait! It's also New Friends Day, which I think you'd make a lot of if you shared daquiri, ice cream and/or raspberry cake. Just saying.**

**Do you know what yesterday was? It was Happy Perfect Family Day. I think we'll borrow that one as well, for obvious reasons. Seems only fitting!**

**You know what I hate? When your computer wants to update but you tell it to postpone so you can come in and post your story, but it chooses to ignore the postpone command, reboots anyway,and takes like 50 minutes to install updates. So, you can blame my laptop for the slight posting delay today. Damn technology.**

**Thank you for the love for last chapter! It's always good to bring the original gang together, particularly are not-as-clueless-except-for-Emmett threesome. hehe And no worries. Emmett won't be allowed to change the baby. I like to think that he may have masterplanned that. I can't blame him. And yes, Daddy Boot Camp is a real thing, although from what I researched, it's run by fairly new dads to give advice to soon-to-be new dads. I wasn't sure what that advice would be, and my knowledge of dudes only goes so far, so I chose to make it a disapproving woman for Emmett to annoy. And yes, someday I may write an outtake with more of that, if so inspired.**

**I finished the outtake for the Fandom LLS compilation. A few edits and it'll be off to the presses! I included a bit of the last part of this chapter from BPOV, as well as a little something extra. I hope you'll contribute and enjoy it. It was good to write Danny again. I also just finished writing chapter 47 and didn't get everything I had planned in it done, so there'll likely be more than the 50 chapters I mentioned last week. No promises and from what I've heard, you all won't be upset if I get wordy, but we shall see :) I'm not exactly anxious to say goodbye to them either. So, I'll keep you posted when I know. In the meantime, have a great Sunday, and week ahead. Happy reading!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 45

"Did you eat my ice cream?"

I froze at the tone of Reed Girl's voice, and my mind started whirling. There were only two answers to that question, and both of them would set her off. When your wife was thirty-eight weeks pregnant, pretty much anything could set her off at any time, and her food was probably the number-one touchy subject sure to cause an explosion.

Option number one was to tell her the truth. She ate it last night. Then she'd get upset because she forgot due to her "pregnancy brain" and it pissed her off that that was even a thing. Then she'd likely cry about being fat, which she totally wasn't. She was pregnant. Not fat. But she was miserable, and there was no telling her that without tears occurring. There just wasn't.

Option number two was to lie and say that I'd eaten it and then have her pissed off at me for stealing "her" food. Then she'd go on about how I was too controlling with what she ate, call me the food Gestapo, and cry tears of anger. After that blew over, she'd cry because she was sorry for being emotional. It was a fucking minefield. A terrifying one.

There was a third option, and I grabbed at that shit like the lifeline it was. I grabbed my keys and wallet and headed for the front door.

"I'll go get you some, baby. You hang tight for ten minutes. I'll be right back. Peanut butter and chocolate, right?"

"Like you don't know?" she asked with a little sneer.

Yep. She decided I'd eaten it. That was okay. I'd take one for the team.

"Right. I'll be right back."

I hightailed it out of the house. She'd been pretty good about cravings through most of her pregnancy. Occasionally she'd get a yen for something or other, but nothing too weird and not in the middle of the night like I'd expected. Books and TV had lied to me about pregnancy cravings. Well, they lied about a lot of shit, it seemed, when it came to pregnancy. One thing they didn't lie about? Mood swings. Nope, they nailed the shit out of that one.

I moved through the store as quickly as possible, fearing she'd get more pissed off if I took too long. On the way home, I called my dad.

"Why are pregnant women insane?" I asked the instant he answered.

Dad laughed. "Hormones, being unable to sleep for decent periods of time, swollen feet and ankles, hemorrhoids… I could go on, but I think you get the drift. Is Bella having issues?"

"She ate all her peanut butter and chocolate ice cream last night and totally forgot about it today. She blamed me for it being gone."

He snickered. "God, I don't miss those days. With your mother, it was salt. Potato chips in particular. I was stupid enough to offer her something else salty when she was pregnant with Emmett. Frankly I'm shocked that I lived long enough to father you."

Fucking gross. "Dad, I didn't need that story, thank you very much."

"Just saying." He laughed again. "I take it you're on your way to the store?"

"On the way home from it, yeah. If I get pulled over, do you think they'd let me off with a warning if I told them it was ice cream for my pregnant wife?"

"If they'd had a pregnant wife, sure. Just remember that it goes away, after a bit."

"After she has the baby, right?"

That made him laugh harder. "Hell, no. The baby means a whole new level of being tired. And the hormones are still wild for a bit as the body adjusts."

That was really fucking comforting. "Not helping, Dad."

"Don't worry, son. You'll be nearly as tired as she is. But you'll be happy. Trust me on that."

I hoped he was right. I was more than ready for Dani to make her appearance and for my wife to return to normal. She was still awesome and I still loved her, but I feared her as well. I didn't like that. I hadn't been scared of her since I fell for her.

"I'll take your word for it."

"Your mom and I can't wait to come up. I booked our tickets for next Sunday. I kept them open-ended, since I know your mom wants to be there for a couple weeks after Dani arrives."

Yeah, that was another thing we had to do. Prepare for the invasion. Mom and Dad were coming a week early, Charlie was coming the week we were due, and the gang was waiting until she gave birth, since three of them had graduation to attend right about that time.

"Yeah, I'll need the help, I'm sure." Plus, Reed Girl was less likely to lose her mind with my parents around. They could come up now for all I cared. "You sure you can't get here any earlier?"

Dad laughed again. "Afraid to be alone with her?"

No. Maybe.

"I can handle it."

"You keep telling yourself that. And no, we can't get up any earlier. I'm working double time to clear those few weeks, and your mother is on that retreat thing for her garden club."

Crap, that's right. Mom was off at some resort. Damn.

I pulled up in front of the house. "I have to go." Part of me wanted to stay in the car, but Reed Girl would know I was here and hiding from her. That wouldn't go well.

"Have fun, son! We'll see you in a week."

Right. Not an ounce of concern for his son. I bet Joe Montana would come rescue his kid from his scary pregnant wife. Uncool.

I hurried inside, straight to the kitchen, and scooped ice cream right into the bowl. I brought it to Reed Girl, holding it way in front of me in case she bit my arm off in her attempt to get to it.

"Why are you standing like that?" she asked, taking the bowl but eying me suspiciously.

"No reason."

"Edward, I'm not mad that you ate my ice cream, not since you got me some more." She smiled sweetly and dug in.

I let out a breath and sank down on the couch next to her. Rainbow immediately got all up on me. I suspected she'd had to hear an earful about me stealing Reed Girl's food when I left. She was probably scared, too.

"So good."

The moans and sex noises coming out of my wife as she devoured her food wasn't cool. We hadn't had sex in a couple of weeks, since just after the baby-shower crew left. She'd owed me for not telling me about the Daddy-training class, and she'd paid up in a major way. But since then? Nada. And hearing her orgasm over ice cream wasn't helping me forget that fact, let me tell you.

"Thank you." She gave me a smacking kiss on my cheek, her lips cold and probably leaving a chocolate imprint on me. I wasn't complaining, though. She was happy, so I was happy.

"Okay, we can go now."

Go? What the fuck was she talking about? I didn't want to go anywhere. I'd just gone somewhere I didn't even want to go.

"Go where? I just want to chill, maybe take a nap."

Rainbow agreed with me, purring and burrowing into my neck. Yeah, a nap sounded good right about now. Reed Girl was sleeping for shit, which meant I was, too, since I didn't sleep well without her. And she had a hell of a time getting out of the bed without me.

"You can't take a nap."

Oh, I very much begged to differ. But I opened my eyes and looked at her anyway. "Why not?"

"Because I'm in labor and we need to go to the hospital."

It took several moments for her words to penetrate my skull, but when they did, I sat straight up and sent Rainbow scampering.

"What do you mean, you're in labor?" She couldn't be. We had another week and a half or so. Two weeks. First babies were supposed to be late. It wasn't time yet.

"I mean, I'm having contractions, and while you were gone, my water broke."

"It did? Where?" I looked around for it. I needed to clean that up before it damaged the wood… What the fuck was I doing?

I hopped up and started looking for my keys. We needed to go. And we needed her bag. Fuck. Was it packed? I told her to get that shit together a week ago, but had she? And just how fucking fast was her labor? Did it come on that quickly?

"What are you doing?" my wife asked, suddenly the picture of serenity.

What the fuck was that about? She'd been angrier than a fucking bear just thirty minutes ago. Now she was actually having our baby but she was fine?

"Looking for my keys! And your bag. Did you pack your bag? Shouldn't I be timing you or something? When was your last contraction?"

"A few minutes ago."

But…I'd been here a few minutes ago. "Why didn't you say anything?"

She actually stuck her lip out in a little pout. "I didn't want you take my ice cream away."

"Baby, seriously? You're in labor but you wanted your ice cream first?"

"Well, it's not like she's going to come out in the next few minutes, Edward. We could spare a little time. You left, my water broke, and I cleaned it up and waited for you."

She was unbelievable. "You don't know that! She could come out here, with just the two of us, which means that I'll have to deliver her. Then I'd have to look. You know I don't want to look!"

Reed Girl actually laughed. "Yes, I know. And I imagine we've got a decent amount of time before we have to worry about it. But if you want to stay here and talk about it for a few hours, we can see what'll happen." She patted her belly and smiled at me.

Well, fuck. She had a point. Why were we talking about it when we should be going to the hospital?

"Okay, let's go." Where the fuck were my keys?

"They're in your pocket," Reed Girl said, having obviously figured out what I was looking for.

Right. Good. "Okay, we need your bag. Do you have a bag?"

"Yes. It's upstairs in our closet."

Right. Okay. "You stay there. I'll go get it."

"Okay." She smiled at me, all calm as you please. So fucking weird.

I bolted upstairs, Rainbow streaking up with me. Thank fuck she didn't trip me. That was the last thing we needed.

Bag, bag, where was the fucking bag? There were like twenty bags. Fucking hell. I started unzipping frantically as Rainbow wove through my ankles. Every time I tossed a bag aside, she hopped on it.

"Not helping, Rainbow. Where in the hell is the hospital bag?"

She just looked at me before swishing her tail and walking to the front of the closet. There, in the corner, was a bag.

"Seriously?" I picked it up, and sure as shit, there were clothes and a book and some other shit that I probably didn't want to know about in there.

"Thanks, Rainbow. You rock."

I grabbed the bag and headed downstairs, only to find my wife standing at the base of the steps.

"Did you find it? I can-"

"Don't you step foot on those stairs!" I yelled, dashing down to stop her. Visions of her having a contraction and falling down haunted me.

"Jeez, Champ, I'm not an invalid. I'm having a baby. Tons of women do it every day."

Maybe, but not mine. "They're not you."

She smiled and put a hand to my cheek. "I love you. Just in case I forget to say it later. You're so cute."

"I love you, too. But the next time you go into labor, tell me before you stuff your face with ice cream."

She laughed. "Deal." Then she grabbed her belly and winced. "Oh! There was another one."

Fuck. I needed to time. I glanced at my watch: 12:32 PM.

"How far apart are they?"

"Six minutes. I think we have plenty of time."

Irrelevant. She was in labor, and we were going to the hospital. Done and done. I ushered her outside and steered her to her car, which made her laugh some more, which freaked me out.

"Don't laugh. It might speed up labor."

"Well, at least we'll be in my car if it does." She kept giggling as I helped her inside and stretched the seat belt over her belly.

"Don't even joke about that, baby." I hurried around and got in the driver's seat. "We're not going to be those people that have their baby on the side of the road, with the husband being the one to deliver it. I can't do it. You know I can't."

Reed Girl just smiled and took my right hand as I peeled out of the driveway.

"You can do anything you want to do. Do you have your phone? We should probably call the doctor."

Phone? Fuck. I felt both my pockets. Crap. I'd left it in my car when I got done talking to my dad. "No phone. Where's yours?"

"In my purse. Which is on the kitchen island. Or maybe the hall table. I don't know. We should go back."

Fucking hell. I didn't want to go back, but I had to call the doctor and everyone else under the sun to tell them Reed Girl was in labor. And my mom was at a damn retreat and wouldn't be up here for five fucking days. Fuck me.

I whipped the car back around the corner and pulled into our driveway. "Stay." I opened my car, grabbed my phone, and handed it to her as I got back in and headed out.

"I'm not a dog," my wife informed me, her eyes slitted angrily.

"I didn't think you were, baby. I just want to get to the hospital."

"You could have gone in and gotten my purse," she informed me, crossing her arms over her chest.

Right. And searched for that shit for God knew how long while the odds of her having the baby in the car increased. Fuck that noise.

"We can call everyone from my phone."

"Do you have Kim's number?" she demanded, sounding smug.

Fuck. "No. But I have Colin's, and I know he has hers." They'd been talking since the Super Bowl. I didn't know if they were dating at this point-she was keeping him at arm's length for now-but he could get in touch with her.

"Oh. But I'm sure there's someone I want to call that you don't have."

I glanced at her as I navigated through traffic. Why the fuck were there so many cars on the road at one in the afternoon? Didn't these people have jobs?

"What's the real reason you're mad I didn't get your purse?"

"There's a Reese's peanut butter cup in there," she admitted quietly.

Jesus fucking Christ. "Baby, I'll buy you whatever candy you want when we get to the hospital." They had vending machines, for fuck's sake.

"But they might not let me have candy."

I had to laugh because she sounded quite put out at the very idea. She wasn't remotely bothered by her damn contractions, but take away her chocolate and you had a problem.

"They won't be with us every minute. I'll sneak you chocolate, I swear."

"Really? Even if they say I can't have any? Mr. Rule Follower? Somehow I doubt it."

Okay, she had me there, but she was having my baby. If chocolate wouldn't hurt her, she could have it. I'd do anything to get her through this.

"You can have anything you want, baby. I promise." Unless the doctor says no. But then I'm totally pointing the finger at her instead of myself.

We finally got to the hospital and I checked us in. I told them we wanted the whole birthing suite deal, and we were taken to private room, Reed Girl pushed along in a wheelchair. It was pretty cool once we got there. Kind of like our own little apartment, complete with a bathtub and shit.

The nurse took Reed Girl into the bathroom, and I got busy on my phone. First I checked to see if Reed Girl could actually eat. Fuck me. It depended on the website and the doctor. She was going to kick my ass when I told her no. One site said popsicles were okay. Where could I get one?

Reed Girl came out in her hospital gown and got situated in the bed. The nurse got her hooked up to some monitors and promised us that the doctor would be in soon.

"Go get my candy," Reed Girl hissed as soon as she left.

Fuck. "Baby, the websites say-"

She let out a frustrated growl that had me moving away from the bed. "I knew it! I knew you'd pussy out."

I raised my brow at her use of the word pussy. It was kind of hot, if I was being honest.

"Oh, get that look off your face. We're not having sex now," Reed Girl said, waving a hand at me.

"Sorry, baby. But the way you said that was hot."

She blew out a laugh as she clutched her belly. "Only you would find anything about me hot right now."

"Always." And because I seemed to be out of danger at the moment, I went over and kissed her.

"Uh-oh, do you need some alone time?" Dr. Sharpe came in, grinning. "I think we know how you got into this predicament. No need to relive it on B-Day."

Yeah. Yeah. I wouldn't be reliving it anytime soon. The book said it was usually about six weeks before we could have sex after the baby was born. The book betrayed me with that shit.

"Let's see what we have here." She got Reed Girl into the stirrup things, and I moved up to her shoulders. I wasn't risking seeing anything.

Reed Girl laughed. "She's not coming out yet, Edward."

"Better safe than sorry, baby. I don't want to see anything that'll make me afraid of that area."

Dr. Sharpe laughed as she emerged from under Reed Girl's gown. "Somehow I think you'd overcome the fear."

Reed Girl nodded. "There's not a doubt in my mind."

"Well, it looks like you're about three centimeters dilated, so we have some time to go," she told us cheerfully.

"I told you."

"We're here; you have an awesome room. You can take a bath or something," I told her. I knew what she wanted, though. "Is she allowed to eat anything? Like a candy bar, maybe?"

Dr. Sharpe screwed up her face and shook her head. Fuck me, I was a dead man.

"I'd prefer if she had something lighter than that. You can have a popsicle or some broth if you like."

My wife's face was positively sulky. "A popsicle would be fine."

"Maybe a fudge one? That's chocolate," I offered.

Reed Girl smiled. "I'd like that."

Dr. Sharpe chuckled. "I'll see what I can do. Settle in, and hit your pager if there's anything you need. I know you want an epidural. We'll administer that shortly. I'll send the anesthesiologist up. There's a nurse right outside, and I'll be back shortly to check on you."

When the doctor left, Reed Girl turned to me. "I love you."

I kissed her hand. "I love you, too."

"We're going to have our baby today."

Or tomorrow. But I wasn't about to remind her how long the process may be.

"We are. I can't wait, Reed Girl."

She nodded. "I just want you to know that I'm not going to be the cliché lady in labor and yell at you for knocking me up or threaten to cut your dick off or anything."

I laughed. "I'm glad to hear that, baby. I'm pretty attached to my dick."

"So am I. And if I do slip and say it, know that I don't mean it."

Was it any wonder I loved her? For real. She made me laugh even when I wanted to panic. "I know you don't, Reed Girl. And I know you want to be attached to it again soon."

She giggled. "Yeah, now's not the time to bring that up, Champ." She gritted her teeth through another contraction. "But I do miss sex with you."

No shit. "I miss sex with you, too. We'll schedule some for six weeks from today."

That made her laugh again. "Why is it that I can imagine you crossing off the days with little Xs?"

I smirked. "Because I fucking will. And, if I'm doing the math correctly, it'll be damn close to my birthday. Happy birthday to me."

She laughed harder. "Birthday sex can be your present."

"You laugh, but that works for me."

"I know." She smiled. "Now, we should probably start calling everyone."

"True. My mom is off at that stupid retreat, so I doubt she can get here tomorrow."

"Dottie is visiting her daughter. She won't be back until next week." Reed Girl laughed. "Everyone scheduled stuff early, thinking we'd be later, but they're all going to miss it."

Fuck. No mom. No nanny. It was going to be my wife and me alone for the first week or so.

"You're all I need, though. As long as you're here, I'm okay."

Well, damn. She always knew how to make me feel better. "Same goes, baby."

"Bullshit. You're wishing for your mommy. But I'm about to be the mommy now."

"Yeah. Well, you're going to rock it, Reed Girl."

"So are you, Champ."

Her faith in me set the flutters to rest a little. I could do this. I _would_ do this. I had to.

I handed her my phone. "You do the honors, baby."

Reed Girl called her dad first. Then Shorty was up. We both knew that once Shorty knew, everybody would know. The yelling through the phone made that clear as day.

I called my father next. "Dad, it's time."

"Shit. Your mother's going to kill me."

I wasn't sure how my baby being born now translated into my mom killing him, but pregnancy had taught me that women often didn't make sense.

"Why?"

"Because she's at some health and wellness retreat in the mountains of Tennessee somewhere. I told her it was okay to go since first babies are often late. I don't think she has cell service."

What in the hell? "Isn't that like a fat camp?" What was my mom doing there?

"That's the fancy way of saying fat camp, yes."

"What is Mom doing there? She's not fat."

Oops. Reed Girl got a strange look when I said fat. Fuck.

"Ostensibly, she's going to support her friends. In reality? She thinks she could lose a few pounds. Maybe becoming a grandmother is making her crazy."

Ha! As if that was when it started. "Sure, Dad."

"I'll try to get her a message. They probably have a phone that works somewhere."

I laughed. He sounded miserable. As long as she directed her anger at him instead of me, we were all good.

"Good luck."

"Yeah. I won't be able to get up there until next week without some major schedule shifting."

"Don't worry about it, Dad. We'll see you when you get here."

"Okay. How are things progressing?"

I told him about the three centimeters and what the doctor had said.

"It's a marathon, son. Relax while you can. And don't fall asleep unless Bella does. You'll pay for it if you do."

I figured if anybody knew, it was a doctor. "I won't."

"Call me when she arrives, no matter what time. And send pictures."

Of course. "Okay, Dad."

"Give Bella my love. And I love you, son. I'm happy for you, and I can't wait to meet my granddaughter."

"We can't wait to meet her, either. Talk to you soon."

"Dad sends his love," I told Reed Girl when I disconnected.

She smiled. "My dad's probably passing out cigars at the station right now."

I grinned at her. "I hope he gives Riley one."

She shook her head. "He's got his hands full with his own daughter."

"Ours will kick her ass," I said, making her laugh again.

"She may, if she's anything like her daddy."

I pressed a kiss to her belly. "Are you going to be like me, Dani? That's probably not a good idea. You should be sweet, like your mom."

Reed Girl ran her fingers through my hair. "I want her to be punctual, like her dad. Hurry up and get here, baby."

"You heard her, Dani. When Mom speaks, we listen. So get out here and join us. We're anxious to meet you."

Unfortunately, Dani didn't have my sense of punctuality. Or her mother's ability to be ready to go faster that ninety-nine percent of the female population. TV lied. Movies lied. They made labor look like a few minutes of pain and cursing, but it was the marathon my father warned us about.

The anesthesiologist gave Reed Girl a shot in the spine that fucking had me sweating; it was such a big-ass needle. It wasn't like I hadn't had plenty of doctor visits and needles growing up. I played football for three-quarters of my life. I spent plenty of time in hospitals. But that shit? The scariest thing I'd ever seen.

Fortunately, as labor progressed, Reed Girl wasn't overly pained. The shot did its job, and while she felt it, she wasn't cursing or threatening my manhood, just like she promised.

Dinner came and went, and I didn't eat because she couldn't, besides her fudge popsicles. We played cards, she read, we listened to music and watched TV. I'd had to turn my phone off because people kept calling and the damn thing was going to die before Dani came, and then we wouldn't be able to call or take pictures.

The doctor checked in periodically, announcing minor-ass progress, which only served to frustrate my wife. And me, if was being honest.

We walked up and down the hallways, trying to move things along. Finally, around two in the morning, Reed Girl's contractions got a lot faster, and the nurse brought the doctor in. She pronounced her good to go, and a whole team assembled. I put on my own gown thingy, which was lame but whatever, and stationed myself at Reed Girl's side as we'd planned.

She held my left hand, after I reminded her that the right one was our golden goose. Everybody in the room laughed at that, even my Reed Girl. She was amazing. She was sweaty and exhausted and using every bit of strength in her body to bring our daughter into the world, and it was incredible to see. I'd always known she was strong, and perfect, and awesome, but this was something else.

Even though the awful video on birthing class had made it apparent that labor wasn't just two pushes and then out came the baby, it still surprised me that the process took almost an hour. Reed Girl powered though, her face getting red, her teeth gritted, and her grip like a fucking vice. I knew better than to complain, though.

At exactly 2:52 AM on May 2nd, Danielle Elizabeth Cullen came into the world. The doctor let me cut the cord, which I did while avoiding looking at what it was attached to. Dani let out a loud yell, which made Reed Girl sigh with relief. The nurses took her and cleaned her up before handing her to me.

She was so tiny. Well, she seemed tiny to me, but the doctor pronounced her twenty-one point four inches, which was apparently rather tall for a baby. She weighed seven point five pounds, which was about the norm.

"Your genes," Reed Girl muttered. "Bring her over."

I carried her gently, unable to take my eyes off her. She was definitely my daughter. I mean, not that I had any doubt about that, but the little tuft of hair on the top of her head was a reddish brown that matched mine perfectly. Her skin was really pink and soft. I slipped my finger under her tiny palm, and I'm pretty sure she gripped it. Sort of.

"She's beautiful," Reed Girl whispered as I transferred Dani gently into her arms. "Look at that hair." She pressed a soft kiss to our daughter's forehead. It was honestly the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen in my life, the look on Bella's face as she held our daughter for the first time. "Unruly, just like her daddy's."

"Her hair will be the envy of every girl she ever meets," I said, making Reed Girl laugh.

Dani let out a little half cry, half sigh, as she curled into her mother.

"So pretty." Reed Girl couldn't stop touching her, examining each little finger.

"Because she takes after her mom."

Reed Girl smiled at me. "I think she has my nose. But that's definitely your chin."

I wasn't sure how she could tell, but I wasn't about to argue with her. "She's gorgeous." That was fact, no matter who she looked like.

I took out my phone and snapped a bunch of pictures of Dani and Reed Girl. I fired off a mass text to our parents, the gang, and my teammates. I didn't care if I woke the fuckers. Everybody needed to know my daughter was finally here.

"Your turn," Reed Girl said, holding her out to me.

I took Dani into my arms, being careful with her head, just like the class taught me. Her eyes opened for a few seconds.

"Hi. I'm your dad. The one who's been talking to you for the past six months or so. You know me, don't you? I bet, if you tried really hard, you could probably say dad already. Why don't you give it a try?"

Reed Girl let out a tired laugh. "Already trying to get her to talk, huh? And of course you want dad to be her first word. It couldn't be mom."

I kissed her gently. "It could be, but we both know I'm going to be her favorite."

"You're not supposed to say that to me after thirteen hours of labor, Cullen."

I smiled down at my daughter. "Your mom's a warrior. She's way stronger than I could ever hope to be. I suppose you can say mom first, if you want. But you're my baby girl. Always."

I saw a flash go off in my periphery. Reed Girl had my phone and was taking pictures. "Your first daddy-daughter moment. I had to capture it."

"Let's get some of all three of you."

The nurse took my phone, and I laid Dani in Reed Girl's arms and then wrapped mine around both of them.

"There. A perfect little family."

And we were. I had a wife and a daughter now. They were my world. And I was going to do my best to make sure they knew it. Always.


	46. Chapter 46

**A/N Happy Parents Day! That one seemed only too appropriate, under the circumstances. It's also Aunt & Uncle's Day, which we have to wait for for just a bit :) But it's coming! My heart breaks to see that yesterday was National Hot Fudge Sundae Day, and I failed to commemorate it. Harsh. **

**In sporting news, TRAINING CAMPS ARE STARTING! You know what that means? FOOTBALL IS ALMOST BACK! As you can see, I'm clearly unexcited about it. hehe Very soon it'll be time to draft some fantasy teams! I've already started researching. hehe And speaking of that, you know I do special leagues (the Hate League, The Suck League, League of the League, etc) and this year we're creating The Everything But The Kitchen Sink League, in which we have to have draft one player from every team, and only one player per team, so no Rodgers and Lacy together, for example. Half of them will play each week. It's going to be pure and utter insanity. And we need a 6th and final member of the group, so I'm issuing an invite to anyone who wants to join to send me a PM and we'll talk about it. Prefer someone with fantasy experience just because it's going to be ridic, but if you're a newbie and want to give it a shot, still let me know. I can't wait!  
**

**It's also the kickoff to the start of the Special Olympics! I'm not sure where it's going to be televised, but I know ESPN/ABC are a part of it. If you want to see some awesome athletes and amazing sportsmanship, that's the place to look. I just checked and ESPN has a special looking at some of the athletes at 5 PM eastern, so check it out if you're so inclined. I will be!**

**I was remiss not to mention that one of the RL athletes I use in this story, JPP, blew off a finger on the 4th of July, and one of my Bucs blew off 2 and is out of football. I obviously won't be addressing it in the story, as that's just not a place I want to go, but please, people, be careful if you're going to shoot off fireworks. I choose to leave that shit to professionals, but that's just me!**

**Okay, enough of me. It's time to get the baby home, and what better POV to do that in than the one that most of you have been waiting for? Yes, it's finally time for Rainbow to weigh in on the happenings in this story :) I hope you enjoy dipping into her head again as much as I did. Next week, Dani will meet some of our friends. Have a great one and I'll see you then!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 46

RPOV

This was unacceptable. They'd been gone for _hours._ Days, even, maybe. It had been a long time. They knew I didn't like it when they left me alone. And clearly they were off doing something fun _without me,_ based on the way _Daddy_ had been running around when they left.

I didn't like it. Not one little bit. The dark had come, and they hadn't come back. Now there was light, and they still weren't here.

What to do, what to do? I could maybe take _Daddy's_ shoes and chew the laces. He always got mad when I did that, but he needed to pay for neglecting me. You'd think he would learn a lesson about that by now, but no. He still left. Why couldn't I go where he was going? I would be good. I was always good. And awesome. _Daddy_ even told me so.

Hmm, I know. I could get into that big window upstairs so I could see when he was coming. If they were going to leave me, why didn't they call someone to come entertain me while they were gone? Even that wrinkly lady they used to leave me with would be better than being all alone.

I zipped up the stairs and leaped onto the soft cushions. _Mom_ hadleft one of her books behind. Lately she'd been reading to me in the seat while I lay across her belly. And thathad been weird because she'd gotten bigger there lately and I could feel something under there. I liked to lie on it and feel the movement under us. I didn't know what it was, but it felt good and funny. I wanted it back. _Now._

Every time one of those loud machines came near, I stood up and pressed my nose to the window. It was cold. And finally, after _forever,_ one stopped and out came _Daddy!_

I flew down the stairs, calling for him the whole way so he'd know that I was here and I was lonely. He opened the door, and I launched myself at him. He caught me, because he always does, and hugged me to him while I meowed my displeasure at being left alone. And yes, I purred, because I was happy to see him. Even when I was mad at him, which I was right now. But I wanted to be held, too. It was all very confusing.

"Hey, Rainbow. You were alone all night, huh? Sorry about that. Couldn't be avoided."

Yes, it most certainly could have. They could have taken me with them, where I belonged!

He made a strange noise and his muscles tensed underneath me.

"Fuck, I'm exhausted. It's only day one, and I'm already beat. Reed Girl sent me home to get a quick nap and to give you this."

Me? He had something for me? Well, that was more like it. I took my face out of his neck and saw a blanket. _Yes!_ I loved blankets! Of course they got me a present to make up for their neglect. It wasn't enough, but it was a start.

White and soft and perfect and mine, all mine! I purred harder and tried to get to it while _Daddy_ laughed. He carried me into the living room and sat, putting the blanket next to us. I immediately abandoned him to rub all over it. It was so comfortable! I buried my nose in it and tried to use my paws to make it the perfect nest before I curled up to take my nap. It smelled good! He was forgiven.

"You like that, huh? Good. Reed Girl thought it would be a good idea if I brought home something that smelled like the baby, to get you used to her scent."

 _Daddy_ picked up a corner of my blanket and sniffed it. I batted at it, trying to take it back. Mine. He laughed. I loved it when he did that.

"I'm glad you approve." He scooped me up and held me in front of his face. "We need to talk, Rainbow."

Weren't we already? I let him know that by putting my paw on his mouth, which made him laugh again.

"Remember when Chelsea came over for the first time, and we had a talk about how I needed you to behave, because she needed a friend?"

Chelsea. I knew that name. She played with me. She was fun. Was she coming over again? I had toys we could play with. They should have her come over when they left me alone. She would have kept me entertained.

I meowed to let him know that I knew what he was talking about and that I was in favor of her coming over again. I needed people who played with me to come over, since _Daddy_ and _Mom_ weren't doing it enough lately.

"Right. Well, there's another little girl coming over tomorrow, and you need to be on your very best behavior with her."

I wasn't sure what a girl was, but if it was going to play with me, I was cool with it. I let him know that.

"I mean it, Rainbow. She's tiny and helpless, and oh, so fucking beautiful. It's our job to protect her. Mine, and Reed Girl's, and yours. She's really little, even though she's apparently tall for a newborn that arrived a couple weeks early."

He laughed, and it rumbled through me. Fun! I loved that.

"She's definitely got my genes. Reed Girl figures she'll be taller than her by the time she's in middle school. It's probably true. Hilarious."

Jeans? They wore those, right? What was he going on about? Wasn't it time to play? Or take that nap he'd mentioned?

"Life is definitely going to change in a major way, Rainbow."

Change? Why? I liked things the way they were.

"I'm going to need you to be gentle with Dani. She's so tiny, soft, fucking breakable. I'm not going to lie. I'm terrified just holding her, even though it feels amazing at the same time."

 _Daddy_ smiled. The whole of me always felt good and warm when his mouth did that for me.

"I never knew…I mean, I read a shit-ton about the baby coming, what to do to prepare, what to do after she arrives, but the way it feels…" He shook his head. "I can't even describe it. It's like, I'd do anything to make her happy and keep her that way. It's like what I feel for Reed Girl, only bigger, because she can protect herself. Dani can't. We're her whole world right now, and it needs to be perfect for her."

He closed his eyes, taking the pretty green away. I didn't like that, so I yelled at him and they opened again. Good. Better. He needed to look at me when he talked to me.

"We need to take care of her. Now, that's primarily on me and her mother, but I expect you to help me, even if it's only by listening. You're good at that, aren't you?"

Of course I was. I was good at everything that I did. That was just a fact.

"You'll do that, right? Be there for me? I know I'm going to freak out a billion times as she grows up, and there'll be times that Bella doesn't agree with me. You'll always listen and agree, though, won't you?"

He looked at me like he expected an answer, so I meowed.

"Good." He made another of those noises, with his mouth opening wide again. "Let's go upstairs and take a quick nap before I head back to the hospital. I need to call Tiffany's, too."

I didn't know what that was, but I knew what a nap was. He pulled me to him and thankfully brought the blanket with us. I pressed my face to it again. So clean. It smelled a little like whatever was in that bottle in that room with the soft blanket and my special bed. I laid in there sometimes to take a nap when _Daddy_ and _Mom_ weren't in our bed. It was very soft, and I fit in there nicely.

 _Daddy_ put me on the bed while he talked into the little thing in his hand. He put the blanket down, and I immediately burrowed inside. He got into the bed next to me and pulled me against his side. _Daddy,_ a nap, and a soft new blanket? Life didn't get any better than this.

Xoxoxoxox

 _Daddy_ left me, again. At least this time he had the decency to say good-bye and give me some parting treats. That saved his favorite shoes. I had no choice but to entertain myself on my castle and sleep the day away.

I was ready and waiting the next morning when the front door opened.

"Take it easy, Reed Girl. Are you sure I shouldn't carry you?"

 _Mom_ laughed. "I'm not an invalid, Edward. I had a baby. Women do that every day. Didn't I just show you how strong I was when I had her?"

"You're the strongest woman in the world, baby."

The door fully opened, and there they were! I called to let them know that I was happy to see them, even though they'd abandoned me. I ran down the hall, ready to leap, but _Daddy_ was carrying something. Unacceptable. They leave me alone forever, and then he has his hands full? I shifted aim toward _Mom,_ planting myself at her feet, ready to be picked up and lavished in the love I so richly deserved.

"Sorry, Rainbow. I don't feel quite up to bending to get you right now. But you're a good girl. A pretty, good girl. We have someone for you to meet."

I didn't want to meet anyone. I wanted to be held and loved! What was this nonsense?

"Bring her into the living room," _Mom_ told _Daddy._

I trailed behind them to see what in the hell was going on. This was not normal. I didn't like it.

"Sit down, baby. I'll hand her to you."

 _Mom_ sat down in one of my prime napping spots. _Daddy_ toyed with something, and then took something out of the thing, handing it to _Mom._

Then, _finally,_ he reached down and picked me up. It was about time.

"Rainbow, be good."

That was offensive. I was _always_ good. I was good and perfect and awesome. _Daddy_ told me that all the time. He knew.

"Rainbow, this is Danielle. We're going to call her Dani. She's our baby."

Baby? I knew that word. _Daddy_ called _Mom_ that. I didn't see another _Mom._ She sometimes called me that, and I sure as hell didn't see another me. There'd better not be another me around. I tolerated those little rats that the fun one, Chelsea, brought over a couple of times. They were sort of okay, once they learned who was in charge. It had taken a few well-timed smacks to get them in line. Was I going to have to break another one in? Didn't _Daddy_ know how tiring that was? They didn't need another me. I was perfect all on my own.

Whatever was in _Mom's_ arms suddenly moved and let out a little cry. That wasn't _my_ cry. That wasn't like any cry I'd ever heard before. I stretched out of _Daddy's_ arms and sniffed. That smell. I knew that smell. It smelled like that soft blanket that _Daddy_ gave me yesterday. Hey, that was a blanket. And it was moving! I had to get it!

"Oh, no, you don't! That's not something for you to pounce on. Look, Rainbow."

 _Daddy_ took a strong hold of me and put me right in front of _Mom._ I looked at the wiggling blanket. Huh. That wasn't another me. It was little. And looked like them. _Mom_ and _Daddy._ And it smelled good. I wanted to touch it.

"You can put her down, I think."

"Are you sure?" _Daddy_ kept his grip on me. "She could hurt her."

"She won't. And you're right there to grab her if she gets rough."

 _Daddy_ finally put me down on the couch, and I moved over to the squirming thing. It was my size, just about. It made that noise again. I climbed onto _Mom_ to check it out.

"Dani, this is our kitty, Rainbow. She's the coolest cat in all the world."

That was true. _Mom_ knew what she was talking about.

"She's going to help us take care of you, she'll be your best friend, and likely she'll steal your pillow when you get older."

That made _Daddy_ laugh for some reason. I wasn't sure why. Pillows and blankets were all mine. That was just the way it was. They knew that.

I crept closer, and there it was. The baby, whatever that was. There were too many babies for that to make sense. We couldn't all be babies, could we? Anyway, it was a little darker than _Mom_ and _Daddy_ were. And way littler. But somehow it was the same as them. I took a testing sniff. Yes, it smelled good.

 _Mom_ held its hand out to me. I sniffed some more and gave it a testing rub. So soft. And small. Way smaller than _Daddy's_ hands. It felt good, so I did it again.

"See? I told you Rainbow would be fine."

"Yeah, I know. I just…she's so little. I want to tuck her away from the world until she's less breakable."

 _Mom_ laughed again. "Somehow, no matter how big she gets, I doubt you'll ever think she's indestructible enough."

 _Daddy_ sat next to us and gave me a stroke. It felt really good. Part of me wanted to climb onto his lap, but another part of me wanted to stay here and check out the baby. It made a soft little noise and snuggled into _Mom_ just like I did sometimes.

"I think she's ready for a nap. Shall we introduce her to her room?"

"In just a minute. I have something for you both." _Daddy_ stood and left the room.

"He spoils us," _Mom_ said, running a finger along the baby's head. "He's the best daddy in the whole world."

Yes, he was. Hadn't I already shown them that?

 _Mom_ gave me a pat next. "You're a good girl, Rainbow. I knew you'd be great with Dani."

Of course I was good. We'd established that. But it was nice to hear. So I gave her a kiss and purred to let her know I approved of her praise.

 _Daddy_ came back in the room with a bag. It was too small for me to get into, I could see that already. That didn't mean I wasn't going to try to fit. One of these days, I'd conquer those little bags.

"Edward, what did you do?"

"You didn't think I'd get you something to commemorate our daughter's birth? Surely you know me better than that by now, Reed Girl."

"Yeah, I do."

He sat again and handed her a box. "For my wife, who gave me everything I never knew I wanted, especially this little one." He touched the baby's face very gently, the same way he touched me.

 _Mom_ pressed her face to his and then opened the box. "Edward! This is beautiful. Are those emeralds? When did you order this?"

 _Daddy_ laughed. "After we got our due date. She cut it close, though. A couple days earlier, and I'd have had to get her name redone in diamonds."

"It's beautiful. And definitely one of a kind. Another charm I'll never take off."

"Yeah, I toyed with getting just a baby charm, but I thought her name in her birthstone was better. And now you know what you're getting with any other baby we have."

"I love it. And I love you." They pressed faces again. They were always doing that.

"Can you put it on for me?" She held out her wrist, and _Daddy_ did something with the danglies. I loved the danglies. I reached up to bat at it, making them laugh.

"Rainbow obviously approves." _Daddy_ patted my head.

"Okay, I think I'm ready to venture upstairs. We should get some sleep while we can."

"Not quite yet." _Daddy_ held out another box and opened it. "This is for Dani. She can't really wear it yet, but I wanted her to have it on her first day home."

"Oh, Edward."

 _Mom_ did that thing again, where the water came out of her eyes. She did that a lot lately. I liked to try to catch the drops, but _Daddy_ reached out and took them away before I could.

"Edward! You got Dani her own charm bracelet! It's adorable!"

"Yeah, there's only one charm now, but we'll fill it up over the years, and I'll replace it when she gets too big for it."

"Daddy's girl. It's perfect. Crap. I'm crying again."

 _Daddy_ laughed and wiped at the drops again. Darn it. I wanted them.

"Come on. Let's go get that nap." _Daddy_ stood and helped _Mom_ up. "Do you want me to carry her?"

"Yeah. I feel a little sore, and I'd rather hold on to the railing while I head up." She handed him the baby and pressed her face to his. "Thank you for the presents and, most importantly, for our daughter. She's amazing, isn't she?"

"She is. Just like her mother. And it's me who should be thanking you."

Another face press. They were forever pressing their faces together. They must like it a lot.

They went up the stairs, way slower than necessary, so I ran ahead of them. I started toward our room, but when they got up with me, they went the other way. Rude. I thought we were taking a nap. I followed them into the soft room. I really liked it in there. Everything was bright and warm and super snuggly. I wasn't sure what they were doing over at the table, but I hopped up into the bed with the cage on it to wait for them.

At first, I'd been afraid because a cage meant a carrier, and that meant I was going somewhere where I couldn't be free. And that wasn't acceptable. But I'd tested it out and there was no top, so I could get in and out whenever I wanted. That was fun. I liked jumping in and out of it.

"There. You're all clean and fresh and ready for a nap in your new bed."

 _Daddy_ and _Mom_ appeared above me. They laughed when I stood on my back legs and stretched up to say hello to them.

"Sorry, Rainbow, this isn't yours."

 _Daddy_ lifted me out, which was rude. _Mom_ put the baby in and tucked the blankets around it. _My_ _blankets_. Also rude.

"We could put her in the cradle in our room," _Daddy_ said.

"We will tonight so she'll be close by when I need to feed her. For now, we'll let her adjust to this space." _Mom_ reached down to touch the baby. "She's so precious. I almost don't want to sleep, because I don't want to miss a minute with her."

 _Daddy_ pulled her close, wrapping both of us in his arms. "We have a whole lot of minutes ahead, baby. You need to sleep while you can. She'll be getting us up soon enough."

He led us from the room, and we finally got into bed together. I curled up into _Daddy's_ neck. Things were as they were supposed to be again. Except for that baby thing. That was new. It would require further watching. But for now, I was glad things were back to normal.

Xoxoxoxox

"I'll get her for you."

The baby was in the room with us now, although she was in my napping space instead of the bed with us. I wasn't overly happy when they put her in there, but since they got into bed with me, I decided it was okay.

What wasn't okay was the fact that it woke us up with a loud cry that disturbed my ears. It had only been here for a little while, but already things were changing. Whenever it made noise, _Daddy_ and _Mom_ ran to it. I wasn't sure how to feel about this. They didn't run to me when I cried. Rude.

 _Daddy_ handed the baby to _Mom,_ and she held it to her again. This seemed to happen every few hours. It cried, and then _Mom_ silenced it. I was glad she could. Instead of coming back to his side, with me, where he belonged, _Daddy_ slid in next to _Mom_ and put his arm around her, watching her quiet the baby.

"You love watching her eat, don't you?"

 _Daddy_ laughed. "It's nice to see those babies getting some use, since I can't play with them for ages."

 _Mom_ shook her head. "Nice."

"I'm kidding. It's fascinating. And really…I don't know. It's stupid."

"Feeding our daughter is stupid? Tell me what you wanted to say."

"It's beautiful, in a way. I don't know. Only you can do that. And she rests her head against you, makes those little noises, and it's just nice, is all."

"I know what you mean." _Mom_ made the noise again. "It's more beautiful when it's not three in the morning, but I know exactly what you mean. You could go back to sleep, you know…"

 _Daddy_ pulled her closer into his arms. "Just because I can't feed her doesn't mean you should do it alone. I'll be doing my share with bottles eventually anyway. May as well get used to it."

"Mmm, I suppose."

I went back to sleep while they talked quietly. Eventually _Mom_ sank back into bed with me, but when I shifted over to find _Daddy's_ neck, he wasn't there. I crept out of bed and went down the hallway, where I heard something squeaking.

 _Daddy_ was in there, sitting in the fun chair that moved. The baby was in his arms. I hopped onto his lap.

"Hey, Rainbow."

He petted my head. I turned circles until I found the spot I wanted. I couldn't be in my favorite spot because the baby was there. I thought about pushing it out of the way, but I knew _Daddy_ wouldn't like it.

"I knew you'd keep me company. The nighttime is our time, remember? I should go back to sleep, I know, but I just wanted a few minutes with her."

All time was our time, but I was glad he wanted me there.

"I never knew just what it would be like. The books and videos told me what to do, and they sort of tried to talk about the feelings, but you can't know until she's actually here, and you're holding her, and she's so tiny and fragile and it's fucking huge. I don't want to fuck it up, Rainbow. She's everything to me. This family is more important than anything I've ever done or ever will do. I never would have thought that possible."

He scratched my neck, and it felt great. I purred and meowed to let him know I was listening.

"You've got my back, right? I have to say, you've been really good about the baby being here. I know shit is changing, and change has never been our best thing, but we've gotten through it together. And we will again."

We could do anything together. _Daddy_ and I were a team.

"What are you doing in here?" _Mom_ appeared in the room.

"I wanted to give you a little time to sleep."

"I don't like to sleep alone." _Mom_ pressed her face to his and then the baby's. Then she gave me a pet.

"Sorry, baby. I was just trying to enjoy a little time with all my girls before the invasion takes place. My teammates and the girls will be here tomorrow, and my mom and dad will be up in a few days. I figure I won't get to hold her again for the next few weeks."

 _Mom_ laughed. "You're her daddy; you can hold her anytime you like. I won't let them hog her, and we'll sic Rainbow on them if they try."

I rubbed on _Mom's_ hand to let her know I had their back. The baby made a soft noise. I liked that noise. I wasn't sure what it was, but it was pleasant. I stood on my back legs and stretched up so that I could rest my head on _Daddy's_ other shoulder. I studied the baby while _Mom_ and _Dad_ laughed about something. It wasn't so bad, I guess. There was room here for both of us. I reached out and put my paw on its arm.

 _Mom_ disappeared and returned a minute later, and next thing I knew, the flashy light was going off again. I was used to that but wasn't sure what had her so excited.

"That's so cute! Edward holding his girls!"

 _Daddy_ laughed. "If we weren't in a rocking chair, I'd have you climb on so I could have all three of you. My harem."

 _Mom_ made a funny noise. "Ha! As if we live to serve you."

 _Daddy_ laughed. "I think we all know that every single one of you owns me. I'm the low man on the totem pole around here."

"The only man. And you own us just as much as we own you. Now, how about you come to bed? Dani will be awake again before you know it."

"I kind of can't wait."

 _Daddy_ stood and carried me and the baby into our room. _Mom_ took me off of him as he bent to put the baby in the napping place. He got back into bed, and I curled in my spot between him and _Mom._ Everything was as it should be again. The baby was different, but this was the same. I could deal with that.


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N Happy National Ice Cream Sandwich Day! That sounds really good right about now. It's also Friendship Day, which yay! I like to think you're my friends, so I can gift you with a chapter in honor of the day. It's also American Family Day (do the other counties get their own family day? I certainly hope so!) which fits this chapter methinks.**

**I keep forgetting to mention that I'm a judge in the Meet the Mate Contest which is going on until the 18th or so! There are a lot of entries to go read already, and I'm hoping that several of them expand (I will resort to begging). I hope some of you are entered or considering entering. It's a truly great way to get started. I may (okay I do) have my own entry that will post after the voting is done and whatnot, since I can't enter. So, read, enter, get ready to vote. It's already a great contest, but I want more, more, more. Don't forget, Sideline was supposed to be a one-shot contest entry. And here we are lots and lots of chapters later with the same characters. Awesome :)**

**Also don't forget that the compilation for Fandom4LLS is getting ready. I'm about to send in my outtake, which not only contains Danny, but also gives a glimpse of little Dani and her daddy right after birth through her mother's eyes. My dad had lymphoma several years back, and beat it, thank God, so it's a charity that I am happy to support. It's at fandom4lls at blogspot dot com.**

**Let's see, the sporting world, what's going on? Oh, yeah, training camps are open! My fantasy draft dates are set! Happiness is mine!**

**It's about time that Dani met a few people who will be a big part of her life, don't you think? Enjoy, and have a fantastic week. I'll see you next Sunday :)**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 47

I wasn't sure who in the hell thought they could call me at six AM, but I was going to yell at their asses as soon as I got my phone out of the bedroom. We'd just gotten Dani back down to sleep a couple of hours ago, and I didn't want her or Reed Girl to wake back up. I booked out of the bedroom and answered.

"What the fuck do you want?"

"Edward Anthony Cullen! How dare you speak to me that way?"

Fuck. Me. I was a dead man. "Mom?"

"Who else would it be? Now why are you cursing at your one and only mother?"

"I didn't know it was you. I just grabbed the phone and ran out of the room before it woke Bella and the baby up. What are you doing calling so early?"

"Well, I figured it'd be quieter to call than to ring the bell, which was my next move."

Ring the bell? "You're here? Now?"

"Of course I'm here now! My first granddaughter was born over forty-eight hours ago! You don't even want to know the lengths I had to go to get here, but I can tell you that part of it involved a donkey. A donkey, Edward! Now, are you going to leave me outside all day, or am I going to have to break in? It's been a while since I picked a lock, but I could give it a go."

Donkeys? Lock picking? What the fuck was going on here? I knew better than to make her wait any longer, so I hurried downstairs, Rainbow at my side. I threw open the door and was immediately engulfed in my mother's arms.

"My baby has his own baby! I can't believe it. Where is she?"

I managed a laugh as I pulled out of her embrace. "She's sleeping, Mom. We all were. Why are you here so damn early?"

"I've already missed out on the first two days of her life! I wasn't wasting another minute waiting for the sun to come up, Edward. Now, I'll be quiet and I won't wake her, but I want to see my gorgeous grandbaby in person. And you should probably put some clothes on."

Fuck. I glanced down at myself. At least I had boxers on. Before the baby came, I slept naked all the time, usually because Reed Girl and I fucked right before bed. Now? Obviously not. And I felt weird about being naked around my daughter. That was just fucked up.

"I'll go put a shirt on and check on the baby. She's in our room, so I'm not bringing you in. She'll be up in an hour or so anyway, more than likely."

I loved my daughter more than life itself, but she really needed to work on her sleep schedule. Even though Reed Girl said that babies were usually up every few hours and it was normal, it didn't work for me. Our kid had our genes, which meant she was smart as hell, so she should be able to master the concept of time pretty quickly. I needed to look up genius baby development when I got a chance.

I steered my mom into the living room and made my way back upstairs. Reed Girl was still out like a light. I grabbed a T-shirt from my drawer and yanked it on before peering down at Dani. I didn't know if she heard me, or if it was just time, but her eyes opened and a little fist shook in the air. I scooped her up and hurried her out of the room before she could start crying. She'd just eaten a little bit ago, so hopefully she'd be content for a bit.

We went downstairs and walked into the living room, where Mom was sitting with Rainbow. I walked toward her, and my mom lit up like a Christmas tree when she saw that I had Dani with me.

"Hand her over!"

I figured I'd better before she snatched her from me and ran for the hills. I gently transferred Dani to my mom's arms and sat next to her.

"Mom, meet Dani. Dani, this is your grandma." Was that right? "Is that what you want to be called?"

"That's what I am, aren't I, precious? I'm your Grandma Esme, and I'm going to be your favorite person in the whole wide world."

Fuck that noise. I was. But I knew better than to say that out loud.

"Edward, she's beautiful. Truly." Mom looked at me with tears in her eyes.

Fuck. More tears. I'd hoped that there'd be less of them post-baby, but of course, all Dani could do at this point was cry and eat, and Reed Girl was still hormonal, so yeah. Not so much.

I looked at my daughter. She was beautiful. "Bella says she looks like me, but I can't tell."

Mom couldn't tear her eyes off of Dani. "She looks like both of you. She's got Bella's nose and her angel face, your hair, and I'd bet she's going to have your eyes. _Our_ eyes."

I didn't know how she could tell, but Reed Girl swore the same thing, so I'd go with it.

"She's the most beautiful girl ever born, that's for sure." Mom cooed and touched Dani's cheek. "What a good baby you are. Awake and not crying or hungry? What a good girl."

"She just ate a couple hours ago." I fought not to yawn but failed. "I'm sure she'll want more soon."

"That's fine, then. Why don't you leave me to get acquainted with my granddaughter and head up and get a little more sleep? I'll come up and get you when she gets hungry."

I was torn between wanting to listen to her and wanting to stay with my daughter. "Yeah? You're not going to take her and run to Canada or something, are you?"

Mom laughed. "Your daddy is funny, isn't he, Dani? And not very bright, but you probably already figured that out."

I shot my mom a glare. "Don't tell her that."

She shook her head. "I'm not going to take off with your daughter, Edward. I've done my time raising a baby, and while I intend to treasure every moment of being a grandmother, I'm not crazy enough to want to be a mother all over again. As the most awesome grandma that ever lived, I get to spoil her rotten and leave all the hard stuff to you. Isn't that right, Dani? We're going to have the best time."

Mom raised Dani up and kissed her forehead lightly. "Pretty girl. Tell your daddy to go get some sleep while he can. Take advantage of the break."

That was a good point. "You're sure?"

"I'm sure. Go. We'll be waking you up before long."

I stood, stroking Dani's soft hair lightly. "Okay. You know where her room is, if she needs to be changed or whatever. There's diapers and all her clothes and…" I trailed off at the smirk on my mom's face. "And you can handle it. Okay, I'm going. Do you need me to get your bags?"

"I don't have any bags. I left everything in Tennessee because I didn't have time to go back for it. Your father sent me a package with necessities. It should be here later today."

I stared at her for a few moments before shaking my head. "I don't want to know."

"Probably not." Mom smiled. "Sleep, son. While you can."

I didn't need to be told again. I headed upstairs and climbed back into bed. Rainbow leapt up behind me and curled into my neck. Reed Girl snuggled closer to me.

"Everything okay? Is Dani up?" she murmured. I was pretty sure she was still sleeping.

"She's with my mom. Go back to bed, baby."

"Mmmkay."

Reed Girl curled into me, and I closed my eyes. I was glad Mom was here. Something told me we could use the help before the invasion came. Chaos was coming in the form of Charlie, my teammates, my brother and co. It was going to be a crazy few weeks. God help us all.

Xoxoxoxox

I woke up a couple of hours later, and neither my wife nor my child was with me. At least Rainbow was. We padded downstairs, and I couldn't help but smile when I saw Reed Girl with Dani attached to her breast, feeding her as she and my mom talked quietly. I didn't know what it was, but I fucking loved watching Dani eat. I mean, yeah, there was boob involved, so obviously that was cool, but the way her little lips latched on and her hand rested on Reed Girl…I don't know. It was just beautiful. And having a kid was turning me into a total girl.

"And I swear, it was a sweat lodge or something! No phones, no technology… We were in tents. It was the worst vacation I've ever taken."

"That's because it was fat camp, which you had no reason to go to anyway," I told her, bending to give Reed Girl a kiss on top of her head and stroking Dani's soft cheek. "Good morning. You should have gotten me up."

Reed Girl smiled up at me. "I thought you could use some extra sleep." She turned to my mother. "He's been amazing about getting up with me, even though we're not attempting the bottle for a while yet."

Mom stood and put her arms around me. "I raised a good man."

I smirked at her. "You weren't saying that a few years ago."

"Because you weren't one then." She laughed. "But I planted the seeds, and then Bella came along and watered and grew you." She kissed my cheek. "I'm glad that you're helping, baby."

I wasn't sure how to feel about her plant analogy, but I knew better than to argue. "It's the least I can do, since I can't feed her yet." I was really looking forward to that, but apparently we had to wait several weeks so there wasn't nipple confusion. Yes, that was a real thing. It made me laugh every time I read those words.

"After I'm done, he takes her and burps her, letting me rest while he spends some alone time with her." Reed Girl looked at me through slightly glazed eyes. "It's beautiful."

I felt a little weird about the moony looks they were giving me. "What?"

Mom laughed. "Men don't get how attractive they are when they're holding and loving their baby. I never let Carlisle take the boys to the park alone when they were little."

Reed Girl giggled as she handed Dani to me, shifting to put her boob away. "Yeah, that's not happening. It's probably a good thing I'm out of commission for the next six weeks, or grandchild number two would probably be on the way."

What? I stared at her as I picked up the burp-cloth thing and tossed it on my shoulder. "Seriously? Me holding her gets you hor-" I broke off when I remembered that my mom was in the room. "In the mood?"

"Oh, yeah. There's nothing sexier than a father with his child, especially when he clearly adores her." Reed Girl beamed at me. "Throw in the fact that you look like you do? I'd have to beat women off with a stick."

I didn't know what to do with this information. Well, I did, but the fact was I couldn't do anything about it because sex was off the table for way too fucking long and my mother was in the room laughing at us. I shifted Dani to my shoulder and patted her back while I processed what my wife had said. I smirked when the idea came to me.

"Speaking of that, _Sports Illustrated_ is going an issue on sports dads, and they contacted my agent about using Dani and me for a picture-you know, me shirtless with her on my chest. What do you think about that?" They'd done no such thing, but it seemed like something they might do. Well, them or _People_ or something. It could happen.

Reed Girl narrowed her eyes at me. "Really? This is the first I'm hearing of it."

"I could hardly tell you when you were hormonal and calling yourself a cow every five minutes."

She looked at me for a few moments, so I sent her an innocent smile and kept patting Dani. I had to admit, I fucking loved burping her, despite the little drooly spit-up stuff that came with it. She fit perfectly in my arms, with her head resting against my neck, much in the same way Rainbow did. Thank God Rainbow was cool with the baby. She liked to watch her but thankfully didn't try to play with her or anything.

"I'd like to see that, actually."

"What?" I jerked in surprise, making Dani let out a little cry. I went back to rubbing and patting her back as I stared in my wife. "Since when?"

"It's not like half the world hasn't seen your abs," Reed Girl replied drily.

I smiled a little at the memory of her reaction the first time my Nike commercial came on. She'd glared at me for a minute, yelled about all the women out there seeing what was hers, and then she'd jumped my ass. Hottest thing ever.

"I think it'd be adorable!" Mom clapped her hands. "She looks so much like you. When's the shoot? Can they do it while I'm here?"

Christ. "I was just kidding. There's no shoot."

"We'll see about that," Reed Girl said, smiling and picking up her phone.

"What are you doing?" She sent out a text while I was unable to stop her. Dani finally let out a little burp, and I wiped her mouth and settled her back into my arms.

"I just sent a text to Alec," my wife murmured, smiling sweetly.

"What? Why? You don't want me shirtless in a magazine." Did she? What was happening here? Hormones were still making her crazy.

"Yes, I do." Reed Girl stood and slipped her arms around me. "I want the whole world to see how much you love her and how gorgeous the two of you are together."

Well, hell. I couldn't say no to that. Hopefully Alec would laugh that shit off. Or the magazine people would.

"It'll sell way better than the body issue, which, by the way, you won't ever be posing for." Reed Girl grinned at me.

Now that was the Reed Girl I knew and loved: possessive and commanding. Six weeks was way too far away.

"Yes, there are some things a mother doesn't need to see."

Crap. I kept forgetting my mom was here. Oh well, not like I could do anything now anyway. Six weeks was a long damn time.

"Right, well, when is Dad getting here?" We could use some testosterone in the house besides mine.

Mom smiled. "He's coming next week as scheduled. He can only push so many appointments. The kids will be here the following week, after graduation. Charlie's coming out in a few days. And I don't know about Renee."

Christ. Renee. We'd left her a message about Dani and gotten a squealy voicemail about how cute she was, but I had no idea when or if she was visiting. I shot a look at my wife, who shrugged.

"She'll be here when she gets here." Reed Girl yawned and stretched. "I'm going to get a shower before today's round of visitors arrives."

Yeah, my teammates were stopping by, as were Kim and Emily. They'd all popped into the hospital briefly the day Dani was born, but nobody had stayed for long.

"You go. I got this," I told her, sitting with my daughter. She looked up at me with big blue eyes, and her little lips twitched. I was pretty sure that was a smile, even though the books said it was reflex action at this point. Whatever. My daughter was a genius and she loved me, so she was smiling. She knew it, and I knew it.

A flash went off in my periphery. I glanced up at my mother, who was beaming and taking pictures like a madwoman.

"You're so cute together! Oh, I hope they do that photo shoot. It'll be incredible! My baby with his own baby." Her eyes teared up. Fuck. "I'm so proud of you."

"Okay. Great. Good. Don't cry. Please, Mom. There's enough crying in this house without you joining in."

Mom laughed at my panicked pleas. "I can't help it. It's a momentous day for me. My self-absorbed son has become a loving husband and father. I've seen it coming the past few years, but now the transformation is complete. It's a very big thing, Edward."

I shrugged and looked back down at Dani. Her eyes were fluttering as she fought sleep. I fucking loved watching her. I just couldn't get enough.

"She's amazing."

Mom smiled softy. "She is. And speaking of big things, I think she needs a diaper change."

How did she know? But then the smell hit me and I knew myself. I tried to hold her out to my mom, but she just laughed and shook her head.

"Oh no, she's your daughter, Edward. You change her."

Okay, so far I'd managed to avoid changing any poopy diapers. It hadn't been on purpose, per se, but I'd lucked out. I'd changed a wet one at the hospital and once at home, and they'd stayed on reasonably well, even if Reed Girl had re-fastened them both. I was contributing. I didn't think that meant I had to deal with a shitty one, though. It didn't seem right.

"You wanted to be a grandma, so be a grandma." I tried to pass her to my mom, but she just laughed and shook her head again.

"I am being a grandma. Grandmas get to play with the baby and spoil her, but then, when she's crying or poopy, pass her back to her parents. It's the right you'll have one day when Dani has kids."

I didn't like the idea of my baby having babies of her own, so I clutched her a little tighter to me. "Don't say that."

Mom laughed again. "The time flies, Edward. So you keep on enjoying every minute of it, even the smelly times. Now, go change her."

I gave Mom the pouty look that usually worked wonders, but I could tell she wasn't budging. Sighing, I stood, looking down at my daughter, who was happily asleep, despite the fact that she had shit in her shorts. Kids. They were complicated.

I took her to her room and got everything situated on the changing table before setting her down. Rainbow hopped up on the changing table, watching with interest.

"Solidarity. That's my girl. You won't leave me to deal with poopy diapers alone, will you, Rainbow? You've got my back."

I took a deep breath and steeled myself before opening the diaper. Holy fucking shit. Literally, which sucked ass. That was the grossest shit I'd ever seen. It looked like peanut butter and smelled a billion times worse. Rainbow took one look and hopped off the changing table like it was on fire.

"Nice, Rainbow. Not cool!"

She swished her tail and hightailed it out of the room.

"Deserter." I sighed and looked at the mess again. Dani started to fuss. "Looks like it's just you and me, kid."

I lifted her legs and got the diaper off. "I'd ask what you've been eating, but we both know the answer to that. Still, I don't see how a little milk can make all this. You've got your uncle's bowels, Dani."

I glanced over at the laugh behind me. There was Mom, camera poised, taking pictures again. "Seriously? You're taking pictures of me changing a diaper?"

"Of course! I never thought I'd see the day. I have to capture it for posterity."

I thought about tossing the diaper at her and her camera, but the hell I'd have to pay for that move wouldn't be worth it. I threw it in the diaper genie thing, which really should be a diaper incinerator. It was that fucking foul that it needed to be burned immediately.

I got a shit-ton of wipes and took the first couple of swipes, throwing those out immediately. It wasn't so bad after the initial stuff had been disposed of. I wiped the little crevices and such like the instructor had told us to do at the boot camp. I powdered and patted and slipped the new diaper on. Dani was watching me, the fussing over, as I taped it back into place.

"There. All done." Thank fuck. I was going to avoid doing that whenever possible. I handed Dani over to my mom and hurried into the bathroom to wash my hands. That shit was gross. Definitely the worst part of having a baby, I was pretty sure.

I came out to find Dani dressed in a little white dress that said _Daddy's girl_ in pink. Mom handed her back to me, and she gave me that little lip twitch. Yep. She was smiling at me. Nobody could tell me different. Totally worth a little poop-okay, a lot of it.

Xoxoxoxox

"She sure is cute." Sammy grinned down at my daughter, who had a grip on his finger. "What do you say, sweetheart? Do you want to marry me in about twenty years?"

I would have hit him had he not been holding my kid. As he was, I gave him my best death glare. "Don't even try it."

"Yeah, Paul has dibs anyway," Brady said.

"I do," Paul murmured through a mouthful of hot dog.

My fucking teammates had decided to come over en masse and have a barbeque to welcome Dani to the world, which made no sense, since she couldn't eat. Really, they just wanted food. But since they'd brought the stuff and were doing the grilling, I really couldn't bitch about it. I was enjoying the nice spring day, and Dani seemed to like being outside. She wasn't screaming, anyway, which was pure win in my book.

What was not pure win? My teammates taking dibs on my daughter. She was mine, damn it. And they'd be dirty old men by the time she was about to date, so that was never happening.

"You sick fucks better back off," I warned.

"Edward!" My mom smacked the back of my head. "Language."

Shit. "Sorry, Mom. But none of them is ever dating her."

"Well, of course not. That would make them perverts, wouldn't it?" My mom had a smile on her face, but her eyes were steely as she looked at my teammates.

"We're just kidding," Paul hurried to say.

Sammy nodded. Brady looked like he was about to shit himself. It was awesome.

"I thought so. Good boys. Now, who wants some potato salad?"

"Damn, your mom is scary when she wants to be," Sammy said, laughing as he passed Dani to Emily.

"I know. She had to be to keep us in line, such as it was."

"This shit is good," Colin said, coming up with a plate full of pasta salad and other crap. He looked over to where Emily and Kim sat, cooing over Dani. Kim had a good-sized baby belly going these days.

"Are you talking about the food or the women?" Sammy asked, following his gaze.

"Both, I think." Colin pulled up a chair next to us on the deck. "How did you do it?" he asked me.

"Do what?" I had my eyes on Reed Girl, who was finally sitting down. I didn't want her overdoing it just a couple of days after giving birth.

"You know, get Bella?"

"You mean you haven't hit that?" Brady asked. "How hard could it be? She's already knocked-"

"Say another word, and I'll kick the shit out of you right here, women and children be damned," Colin warned, his face going dark in his rage.

Brady held up his hands. "I didn't mean she was easy or anything. It's just, you've been talking for four months. And nothing?"

Even though Brady was a dumbass, I had to admit I was a little surprised myself. "Don't you guys hang out and shit?"

"Only now and then, and I mostly just stop by to help her with baby stuff. I picked up her crib and put it together," he mumbled. "She sees me as a friend. I don't know how to ask her for more." He looked to me. "What did you do?"

Shit. "It was different for me, man. Bella wasn't pregnant. And she came gunning for me. Before her, I just hooked up."

Sammy put his burger aside. "Seems to me that you're friends, so you should be able to talk to her." He smiled. "She's a mom, or about to officially be, and that's what's on her mind. She probably has no idea you're even into her in that way."

Now that I could speak about. "That's true. Right now, she thinks she's fat and unattractive. I guarantee she doesn't think anyone could want her. Bella couldn't fathom me wanting her as she got bigger." I'd enjoyed showing her that wasn't the case, too.

"But what if she's not into me? I don't want to lose her, even if it's just as a friend."

Damn. Dude was gone over her. "You have to decide if it's worth the risk, I guess, but it would suck to be stuck in the friend zone and watch someone else move in, wouldn't it?"

Colin looked sick at just the thought. "I don't want that."

"Well, then-" I started, but broke off as an all-too familiar voice was heard.

"Hello? Bella? Edward? I'm here!"

Holy shit. I pushed to my feet even as Renee rounded the corner of the house. What the fuck was she doing here? And what the fuck was she wearing? Whatever it was, it was black and tight and showed far too much fucking skin.

"Renee?"

"Mom?"

"Well, of course it's me! I'm here to meet our precious little Dani." She hugged Reed Girl and then threw her arms around me. "Congratulations! Now, where's my angel?"

Reed Girl shot me a look as she took Dani from Emily and held her out to her mother. "Mom, this is Dani. Dani, this is your grand-"

"Now, Bella! We're not using that word. I'm far too young to be anybody's grand anything, unless it's a grand old time! Hi, sweet baby. You can call me Renee-well, once you're old enough to call me anything."

I watched her anxiously as she held Dani up to get a look at her. "Isn't she beautiful? She looks just like you when you were a baby, although her coloring is all Edward. Oh, what a pretty girl you'll be! Just wait until you're old enough! We can go out for a night on the town, all dressed up to the nines. It'll be a blast."

Like fucking hell my daughter would ever go anywhere with Renee. Over my dead body.

Renee smiled as she handed Dani back to Bella. "She's a treasure, truly. I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, Mom." Reed Girl managed to smile at her. How, I didn't know. "We didn't know you were coming."

"I wanted to surprise you! I can see that Esme made it." Renee shot my mom a tight smile. "How are you doing?"

"I couldn't be happier to meet my _grand_ daughter," Mom said, smirking as she said the word. "Isn't being a grandma just the greatest? All the love, no discipline."

Renee just shrugged. "I was never much on discipline."

"No shit," my mom whispered.

I put a hand on her just in case she was ready to go off.

"And what is all this? Are we having a party for Dani?" Renee glanced around, taking in the grill, the girls, and then her eyes fell on my teammates, and I swear to fuck, she got a predatory gleam in them.

"Well, hello, boys! I haven't seen you in ages!" And she descended like a hungry great white, moving with speed and precision right toward the guys.

Emily, sensing the danger apparently, quickly went over and slid into Sammy's lap. "You must be Bella's mom. I'm her friend, Emily. I help her with her music program."

Renee gave her a tight smile. "Nice to meet you." Her smile softened when she took in Sammy. "And it's really good to see you again, handsome! How are you?"

"I'm great, Renee." He tightened his arms around Emily. "I met Emily through your daughter. She's quite a good matchmaker."

"For everyone but her mother, it seems." Renee let out a laugh. "And how are you doing?" she asked the rest of the group, but her eyes were on Colin.

They all said their hellos. Paul and Brady used cooking as an excuse to get out of the way, and Renee made a beeline for Colin.

"It's been far too long since I've talked to you," Renee purred. "Something was wrong with the number you gave me. I never got a response, and then it was disconnected."

"Oh, uh, yeah. My phone got stolen," he blurted.

Renee laughed and perched on the arm of his chair, her far too short skirt showing off a whole lot of leg.

"I figured it was something like that. I have to admit, I was very disappointed that you didn't call me."

Colin shot me a pleading look, but what the fuck was I supposed to do? He'd been the idiot who thought about hooking up with her, despite my warning.

"You seemed otherwise occupied," he told her drily, no doubt remember the dude she'd blown him off for.

"Oh, you mean John?" She shook her head. "He was just unfinished business." Her fingers danced over his shoulders. "It's finished now."

Christ. My mom snorted next to me. "She's spent more time hitting on a man young enough to be her son than she did with her granddaughter."

"Are you surprised?"

"Sadly, no. Hopefully that means she won't stay long."

If only. Poor Colin looked like he was frozen to his chair. I pondered doing something, but before I could, Kim came over, sort of waddling like pregnant chicks did.

"Hello. I don't believe we've met. I'm Kim." Her eyes were on Colin as she spoke, instead of Renee.

"Oh, how nice. When are you due?" Renee asked.

"July seventeenth. Isn't that right, honey?" Kim asked, still looking at Colin.

He did a double-take before quickly standing and taking the hand she held out for him. "Yeah, that's right."

Renee looked between the two of them, her face comically surprised. "Wait. She's having your baby?"

The smile that crossed Colin's face was as bright as the sun streaming into my backyard. "Yeah, she is." He slipped his arms around Kim, cupping her belly. "I can't wait."

Kim's fingers linked with his. "If you're half as wonderful to him as you've been to me, you're going to be an amazing father."

And then, much to the surprise of everyone, especially Colin, she turned in his arms and gave him a big kiss.

"Let's go home. I'm starting to get a little tired."

Colin nodded, completely dazed after Kim's territorial display. "Okay. Later, Edward. Bella. Thanks."

We watched them walk off. Renee looked like she'd swallowed a lemon, but the rest of us couldn't stop smiling.

"So, that finally happened," Sammy said, throwing an arm around me. "Way to go, Colin."

I hoped for his sake it wasn't just a show on Kim's part, but the way she'd looked and sounded, I didn't think it was.

"Yeah. Good for him."

It would probably only be a few minutes before Renee zeroed in on her next target, but hopefully Brady and Paul would be smarter than that. It wasn't my problem. I headed over to take my wife and daughter into my arms.

Despite Renee's presence, it was a good day. A damn good day.


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N Alright, today's days are only okay, and yesterday's were so much better, so I'm using them instead. Although today is Happy Book Lover's Day, so let's celebrate that as well. And now: HAPPY INTERNATIONAL CAT DAY! Yeah, I had to caps lock that one. Rainbow totes demanded it. And totally not related, except if one were to get crude (and let's face it, I'm one that will) it was also** **INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE FEMALE ORGASM! That's right, two pussies for one day (Cockyback ordered that I say it). Talk about a day for two of my most favorite things. You all celebrate that how you wish retroactively. hehe No more commentary from me :)**

**So, what's tonight? It just happens to be the HALL OF FAME GAME, aka the first preseason game of the football season! It's HERE! Yes, I'm watching even though it's a glorified scrimmage. I may have, okay I did my first two random fantasy drafts of the season this past week. Just because I needed to get my draft on. And my teams kind of kick ass. And I'm sure you're dying to hear what pervy names I've come up with so far, so here you go: Rodgers 4 Benjamins and Tuck'n JJ's Johnson, which I want to name JJ's Johnson in my Foles but Yahoo won't let me. Rude. I'm gonna play with that some more. hehe Suggestions? I like to use players that I have on the team, obviously. And make it pervy, obviously. You already know that about me.**

**I should have included the Meet the Mate link last week. We're up to 39 entries! And still over a week left. I hope some of you will enter. There are so many stories I want to continue! Here's hoping it's only the beginning of some new, fantastic fics. You can find the entries and info here: u/6798308/MeetTheMateContest Read and review! Encourage them to continue (I say this knowing damn well when mine posts I'll hear the same, even though I don't have the rest of the story...yet) But still, I want more :)**

**Glad you guys enjoyed the grandmothers (well, one of them) last week. It's time for the rest of the family to descend on our new parents! Have fun and I'll see you next week! Have a great week ahead!  
**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 48

"Where's my girl?"

I laughed as I took one of Charlie's bags. Go figure. I even played second fiddle in his eyes now.

"Which one?"

His moustache twitched. "Good point. I have two now. But I was referring to my daughter this time. I figured the baby was back at your place with Esme."

"Bella stayed back with them. It was nearly feeding time, so…"

Charlie held up a hand. "Say no more. I get it."

I figured he did. I led the way to the car, and we headed toward home.

"So how are you holding up? Getting any time to work out?"

I laughed and nodded. "Sure. Mom's more than happy to have Dani alone for a couple hours, plus she sleeps a lot, so if we're not napping with her, we're both working out downstairs."

Yes, my wife wanted her body back, so she joined me while I worked out. I fucking loved it, except for the part where I couldn't jump her when she looked all sexy and sweaty. But I enjoyed that time with her and hoped it continued beyond baby weight work-off.

"Bella, working out?" Charlie laughed. "You've been good for her."

"I like to think so."

He clapped a hand on my shoulder. "I know so. She sounds so happy now that she's up here with you, working with those kids on their music and of course now with the baby. I'm glad I didn't scare you off a couple years ago."

I smirked. By the time I'd met Charlie, I'd been too gone over Reed Girl to even think about running. Well…for long, anyway.

"Nothing could make me leave her. Them, now. And I'm just as happy as she is." A yawn escaped before I could stop it. "If a bit more tired."

Charlie chuckled. "I remember those days." His grin faded. "Speaking of those days, is she who shall not be named still around?"

I rolled my eyes. "If by around, you mean in the New York metro area, then yes. If you mean at the house, not so much. She's around some in the morning, then she heads off to do God knows what with God knows who."

But not my teammates, thank fuck. Paul and Brady were smarter than I gave them credit for, and I refused to bring her around any of the others. I was happy as hell that it was the offseason and I could tell her that everyone was off doing their own thing, because they were. Not that I wouldn't have lied if I had to.

"Damn woman. You'd think that having a grandchild would calm her down some, but of course not."

I snorted. "If anything, I think it's made her need to prove she's still young and sexy." Fucking gross. "But honestly it's better when she's out of our hair."

"That's true. Uh, should I maybe stay at a hotel?"

I shook my head quickly. "No. She's the one doing that." I laughed. "When she heard you were coming, she decided we needed the room."

"I always was good at driving that woman away."

Since he sounded amused, I grinned. "Thanks for that."

"Anytime, son."

We pulled into the driveway and got his stuff before heading inside. Reed Girl met us in the hallway.

"Hi, Dad," she murmured quietly.

Dani was in her arms, and Charlie's smile softened. "There are my girls." He wrapped his arms around them both and smiled down at Dani. "She's beautiful. Looks just like you."

Reed Girl laughed and shook her head. "Mom says that, but I think she looks like Edward."

Charlie scoffed. "Please. I have about five books filled with your baby pictures. I'll send you some, and then you'll see."

"I'd like that." Reed Girl smiled. "Would you like to hold her?"

"Sure. Just let me sit down first. It's been a long time since I held a baby."

"It's like riding a bike, Charlie. You won't forget." Mom gave him a hug. "It's good to see you."

Charlie grinned at her. "You're just saying that because you know with me here, Renee will stay away."

"I consider that a perk, sure. But it's good to see you beyond that. Can you believe it? We're grandparents."

Charlie laughed as he sank onto the couch. Reed Girl passed him Dani and then came to sit next to me on the loveseat. Dani seemed to take Charlie in, her big blue eyes assessing in that baby way she had. I swear she was committing him to memory or something. Rainbow, ever vigilant, hopped onto the arm of the couch next to him and watched Charlie with the baby.

"She's truly a beautiful baby," Charlie said, sounding awed as he looked at her. "The prettiest baby since her mother."

Reed Girl smiled and curled into me. "Well, we certainly think so." She shot me a smirk. "And so do the people at ESPN."

I didn't even bother to bite back a groan. Fucking Alec had taken Reed Girl's idea to them and shown them a picture she'd sent of Dani and me, and that was it. We had a fucking photo shoot scheduled next week. My initial protests had been silenced when they agreed to donate half of the profits to Danny's Dream. I couldn't hold out against that.

"What's that about?"

"Your granddaughter is going to appear in a magazine with your son-in-law." My wife couldn't begin to hide her glee in that fact. "They're doing a spread on athletes and their kids. I'm not a betting woman, but if I were, I'd bet these two are going to be on the cover."

Charlie laughed, making Dani fuss. "Shhh, baby, don't cry. If she cries, I'm giving her back," he warned, but she settled down after a minute. "I think that's great." He grinned at me. "I'd have to have several copies so I could take them to work."

Work. Riley. Fanfuckingtastic. Let him see how gorgeous my daughter was, and of course, how awesome I looked holding her. Just for that, I wanted the cover.

"You do that, Charlie. I'll get a poster-sized one just for you."

Reed Girl laughed. "You two! Riley is nothing to us now."

"No, but I still like to rub his face in it." I bet it just burned his ass, seeing me on his TV playing football every week. I fucking loved it. "Besides, they want pictures of my family. You're part of that, baby. They'll want pictures with you, too."

She screwed up her face. "No way. You're the athlete. Dani's the kid. That's the premise."

I slipped my arm around her. "We'll see, baby." I had every intention of having her in some pictures, even if they weren't for the magazine. We needed a picture of us with Dani for the mantle. Getting a pro to do it at the photo shoot seemed like a perfect idea to me.

"I think that's a lovely idea. We need a good picture of all three of you. You should take one, Bella," Mom said, smiling encouragingly.

"Yeah, but I look-"

"Beautiful," I finished, kissing the top of her head. "You're gorgeous and you don't look like you've just had a baby." Yes, she still carried some extra weight and I knew she hated it, but she still looked better than most of the world, and in my eyes? She was still sexy as hell. Jasper had been right about that. No matter how her body changed after having kids, I'd want her.

"Maybe," she muttered.

I knew better than to push, as did the rest of them apparently, because Charlie spoke up.

"So, when's everyone else getting here?"

Mom, keeper of all the schedules, answered him. "Carlisle will be in tomorrow morning. The kids will be up in two days, right after graduation."

"How much trouble is Carlisle in?" Charlie asked, laughing. He shifted Dani up so she could snuggle into his shoulder. Mom put a cloth there to catch any spit up that might occur. And Rainbow climbed right into Charlie's lap to get closer to Dani.

"What's this all about?" he asked, patting Rainbow before moving his free hand back up to support Dani's head.

"She likes to be close to the baby. I think she's protecting her," Reed Girl supplied.

"I'll be damned." Charlie grinned. "Shoulda figured it, though. Rainbow's always been a weird cat."

That was the truth. "A cool, weird cat," I corrected. She'd been fascinated with Dani from the first moment, but a little hesitant to interact. Now? She was all up and around whoever held her. I was pretty sure she was guarding Dani. It wouldn't surprise me in the least.

"And Carlisle's been forgiven, because he sent me everything I asked for after I got out of that godforsaken retreat." Mom shook her head. "Never again am I going to be unreachable when there's a baby on the way."

"Just how many times do you think that's going to be an issue?" I asked, smirking at her. Dani wasn't even a week old, and my mother was already dropping hints about the need for a sibling. The woman was obsessed.

"Hopefully many." Mom shrugged. "If Dani's the only angel we're blessed with, I'll be fine with it, but I'd love a bunch of grandchildren to spoil."

"I'm surprised you only had two kids, with as into babies as you see to be," Charlie said, patting Dani on the back lightly.

Mom laughed. "The fear of having more kids like Emmett and Edward is what reined me in. I figured I'd get a houseful of boys and they'd give me gray hair before I turned thirty." She stroked Dani's soft hair. "If I'd had an angelic little girl instead of two troublesome boys, I might have had a few more."

"Nice, Mom." Jeez, a guy could get a complex.

Mom just shook her head. "Emmett was in the terrible-and I do mean terrible-twos when you were born. The two of you combined were more trouble than ten normal kids. I knew I had to call it quits." She grinned at me. "Besides, you gave me a girl twenty-two years later. It was worth the wait."

I was sure it was for her. Dani started to fuss and Esme reached into her onesie. "She's wet. I can-"

"I'll do it." I was up and had my baby in my arms before she could even make the suggestion.

"Volunteering for diaper duty? I'm impressed."

I shrugged off Charlie's praise and headed up with Dani. It wasn't so much that I was dying to change her diaper. I just knew that I wasn't going to get to spend that much time with her in the next couple of weeks. Between the doting grandparents and the aunts and uncles about to invade, our time was going to be limited.

"I'm glad they're here, but I want you to myself, too," I told Dani as I changed and wiped and powdered her. "Just remember, nobody loves you more than I do, no matter what they tell you."

"Than _we_ do." Reed Girl slipped her arms around me from behind. "Feeling crowded already?"

"A little." I lifted Dani up and turned to face my wife. "I'm glad they're here, but I realized that I won't get to spend as much time with her for a bit."

"We're going to have eighteen years with her, at least." She kissed me lightly. "But I get it. We'll kick them all out and send them sightseeing when we need some _us_ time."

Eighteen years wasn't nearly enough. "That's a good plan, baby."

"I'm full of them. Come on, Champ. We'll let the grandparents admire her for a bit longer, and then we'll all take a nap."

"Sounds good to me, Reed Girl." My girls and I, together, before the masses descended. Yeah, that sounded really good.

Xoxoxoxox

"You two sure make a pretty baby." My dad was grinning as he held Dani up. "And a tall one! She's got Cullen height, doesn't she?"

Reed Girl laughed. "I told him that it was his fault she was so big. She's not remotely chubby, but she's sure long and lean."

"It's so she can play wide receiver for me someday."

"Hmm, maybe she'll be a basketball star." Charlie's moustache twitched. "Leading scorer in the WNBA."

I caught Rainbow eying the movement of his moustache even as she sat in front of my dad guarding Dani. She was still obsessed with that thing.

Reed Girl laughed. "You've moved on from the football-playing grandson to the basketball-playing granddaughter?"

"Nothing but glory for my grandkid, no matter what sex they are."

"Uh-huh. How about we let her be a baby for a while?" Reed Girl beamed at our daughter, who was gripping my dad's finger.

"I think that sounds like a very good plan." I looked forward to playing sports with Dani someday, but right now? I just wanted her to be cute and little. Maybe she could leap ahead to talking and walking and being potty trained quickly, but after that? She should take her time growing up.

"That's true. We don't want you growing up too fast, do we, Dani? I need time to spoil you. Do you want a pony? Grandpa will get you one."

I had to laugh. Dad had been bitching about how much my mother spent on Dani before she even arrived, and now he was ready to get her a horse. No surprise, though. I already knew I'd give her whatever she wanted. All it took was for her gorgeous little face to screw up and tears to start, and I'd do anything to make it stop. My baby should never be unhappy.

"Better that than a donkey." My mother shot my father a glare, and he shrank underneath the heat of her gaze. She may not be pissed anymore, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to give him shit now and then-or for the rest of their natural lives.

"Now, Es, you know darn well you thought it was okay to go as well. And you only missed two days. Edward and Bella needed that time to bond with her anyway."

"A grandmother shouldn't have the first time she sees her first grandchild be a cell phone." Mom shook her head. "I hate missing even a minute with her."

Fear filled me. "You're not planning on moving up here, are you?" I loved my family, truly, but I loved that they were miles and miles away as well. I mean, I'd be cool if they lived a couple hours away, so they couldn't really pop by unannounced, but I knew my mom. She'd want to be neighbors or some damn thing.

"You can wipe that look of terror off your face, Edward. We're not moving up here." My father laughed.

Mom, however, just smiled and said, "Yet."

Reed Girl laughed. "He's just scared that he wouldn't be Dani's favorite if she had doting grandparents nearby."

Not really. Well, maybe a little, but mostly I was afraid they'd cockblock me right and left like they always did. Though the built-in babysitting would be convenient.

"She's gonna be a daddy's girl." My wife smiled at me. "Did you see the bracelet in her room, Esme? I attached it to the crib for now, until she's older and can wear it herself."

Mom beamed at me. "I saw it when I went in to change her earlier. It's perfect, Edward. Who knew we were starting a family tradition when we went into Tiffany's a few years ago?"

I had to laugh. "You did, I'm sure. I didn't have a clue. I was just glad to finally be done shopping."

Mom made a scoffing noise. "Please. Bella, you should have seen him agonizing over which charms to get you, getting irritated when they didn't have an oboe or a rainbow. I may have steered him toward the bracelet, but he took it from there."

Reed Girl smiled as she held up her wrist. "I love it. He gets me a charm for every major occasion. This is the newest." Everyone admired the emerald Danielle she now wore. "Another I'll never take off."

"You're going to have to turn it into a charm necklace at the rate you're going." Charlie grinned at us. "We'd be okay with that."

"We know." And that's all Reed Girl said about that. I knew she wasn't ready to contemplate another baby yet. Neither was I, really. I wanted time to enjoy Dani before the next one came along. We'd talked about it a little last night and agreed that we'd wait a couple of years at least.

"How about you get to work on Emmett and Rose? We've done our job," I told my parents, sliding my arm around Reed Girl's waist.

"We won't have to do a thing," Mom said, smiling at Dani. "One look at this precious face, and they're going to want one of their own."

I snorted. We'd see. I knew damn well Emmett wasn't coming near my daughter, not if he treated her remotely like he had the baby in the training class.

Xoxoxoxo

"Please! I want to hold her!"

"No," I told my idiot brother, who was both pouting and glaring at me at the same time. "You were terrible at that class."

"I was only terrible at diaper changing, and that was totally on purpose. You know that I was the best at car seats! I was the fastest!" Emmett protested, stomping his feet.

"You were the fastest because you did it wrong and practically strangled your baby," Jasper pointed out.

"But I was the fastest. Come on! I'll be gentle. Dani needs to meet her Uncle Emmett."

"You can be her weird uncle she never sees, who sends her birthday cards a couple weeks late, with some money inside," I suggested, making him glare even harder.

"No. I'm going to be her awesome uncle she turns to when she wants to complain about what a douche her father is. Give me that baby."

Shorty solved the debate by simply taking Dani from me. "Ignore those silly boys, Dani. You come and spend time with your Auntie Alice. I'm the one you're going to turn to for advice on clothes and boys. That's far more important than boring old uncles."

And with that, she headed into the living room with my daughter. Knowing that it was futile to argue, I went out to the rental car they'd gotten and helped my brother and Jasper with their bags. It was hard to believe that just over a week ago, it'd been only the three of us. Now we had an entire houseful. Babies not only added a lot of extra stuff in your life; they also added a lot of people. I was doing my best to accept it.

We dumped the bags in the only two empty bedrooms we had at this point and went back downstairs. I knew we should have gotten that ten-bedroom house. We hardly had any room right now. Then again…no. They'd probably never leave if we had too much space.

I snickered when I saw Rainbow planted at Shorty's feet, watching her with suspicion as she held and cooed over Dani. It was hilarious how vigilantly she guarded my daughter. Once she'd determined that nobody was going to hurt the baby, she'd move away a bit, but never too far. She kept her eyes on Dani at all times. My fears of her hating Dani had gone unfounded, thank God.

"Jaspy! Isn't she gorgeous! I want one."

Jasper just shook his head. "You told me to remind you, when you said that, that we're getting married in a year and you wouldn't be able to fit into your dress if we had a baby right before."

Shorty sighed. "I know, but…"

"And you said when you tried to argue with me to remind you that we had plenty of time to have the baby after we'd gotten married and were somewhat settled in our careers."

She sneered. "Why in the hell did I have to be so practical? And why did you have to listen so well?"

He smiled at her. "Because I always listen to everything you say, Wife. That way, you don't get mad at me. Life's best when you're not mad at me."

Shorty melted at his words. "Jaspy, you're too cute. I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Yeah, yeah. Enough mushy stuff. Hand her over." Blondie held out her hands, and Shorty reluctantly passed Dani to her. "Hello, pretty girl. I'm your Aunt Rose. I'm the one who will make sure your Uncle Emmett never drops you, and I'll kick the butt of any boy who breaks your heart. I'm good at that. Just ask Uncle Emmett."

"That's for sure." Emmett was watching his wife with a look in his eyes that made me think that maybe Mom wouldn't have to campaign too hard to get grandchild number two.

"There will be no boys," I muttered, making everyone laugh.

"You wish, Edward. You can't lock her up in this house all her life." Emmett smacked my back.

"I can try."

"Bella, if he starts to talk about hiring architects to build a tower to tuck his girl away, let us know," Dad said with a smile. "We'll take him out."

"Or help him," she said with a giggle. "No worries. He's got a long time before we have to argue over her dating life, thank God."

"A dad can't help it if he wants to keep his daughter safe," Jasper said, being supportive of me as always. "I'll help you build the tower, Edward."

"Can it have a moat? Can we get a dragon?" my brother asked. Moron.

"Dragons aren't real. And I'm not going to lock her up. I'm just going to lock them out. There's a difference."

"Don't worry, Edward. I'll teach you how to shoot," Charlie said.

"Thanks."

"Seriously, do I get to hold her or not? I swear I'll do it right."

I looked at Reed Girl, who nodded. "Okay, Emmett, but you need to sit first."

My brother sat obediently next to his wife. She gently laid my daughter into his big hands. I moved over next to him just in case he dropped her. But Emmett actually behaved, cradling her in his gigantic arms.

"She's so cute. It's a good thing she looks like Bella instead of you," he told me.

"We've decided she looks like both of us," Reed Girl said, laughing. We'd heard every variation of "she looks like" since Dani was born. She looked like Dani to us, and that was just perfect.

"Well, she sure has his crazy hair," Blondie chuckled. "It'll be gorgeous when it grows out."

"That's what I said. Everyone will want her hair," I said smugly, because damn it, I was right.

"Okay, it's my turn now."

Jasper stepped toward Emmett and reached for Dani. Damned if Rainbow didn't let out an unholy yowl, tuck her ears down, and swipe at him when he got near the baby. He quickly stepped back and held out his hands.

"Damn! What did I do? I'm not going to hurt her, Rainbow."

I couldn't help but be a little proud that Rainbow was that protective of Dani, but I knew I needed to calm her ass down, so I picked her up.

"Rainbow, he's not going to hurt Dani. Stop it."

She stopped making the noise but let out a soft growl as her eyes narrowed on Jasper.

"Go ahead and take her now. I've got Rainbow," I assured him.

"Are you sure?" he asked, but when I nodded, he went ahead and took Dani into his arms.

Rainbow's growl got a little louder, and I turned her to look at me.

"Stop. She's fine. You know I wouldn't let anyone hurt her. And now we know you wouldn't either. But Jasper wouldn't do anything bad to her. He's family, Rainbow, just like you are."

Jasper lit up like I'd just declared my love for him. Maybe in a weird way, I sort of had. Who knew?

Rainbow stopped growling, but she turned her head to watch him intently. Of course, Jasper was great with Dani, just like he'd been in the damn class. I wondered just how many videos the man had watched before we took the course. He was so fucking weird, but he was a natural. He probably didn't sweat every little move he made like I had when we first got her home.

"She's such a good baby," Shorty marveled, licking her lips as she watched Jasper hold my daughter.

Yeah, there was clearly something about guys and babies that got girls going. If I'd known that shit in my youth, I probably would have borrowed one to use to help me pick up chicks. Not that I needed the help, but still. It would have been fun.

"Yeah, she really is," Reed Girl said with a proud smile. "She doesn't cry overly much unless she's hungry. And she seems to be most content when she's in someone's arms, especially her daddy's."

I had to smile at that. It was true. She was already a daddy's girl, which had been my plan from the start. "That's how it should be."

Almost on cue, Dani started to cry. Reed Girl looked at the time and laughed. "Yeah, it's feeding time." She took her from Jasper, and much to my horror, started to undo her shirt.

"Reed Girl! Are you really going to do that in here? In front of them?"

I wasn't a prude, by any means. And I was all for women's rights to breast feed wherever and whenever they needed to. Reed Girl and I had talked about that before Dani had even arrived. But there was a difference between doing it with a cloth blocking the view in the park and whipping out her tit in a room full of our friends and family. She'd fed her in front of my mother, but not in front of anyone else, so I was surprised as hell that she was suddenly going to go to town with everybody here.

She grinned at me. "Gotcha."

I breathed a sigh of relief as she and Dani headed for the stairs. "You're a mean woman, Mrs. Cullen."

"You love me that way, Mr. Cullen."

"Boo. I wanted to see it."

At my brother's idiot comment, Blondie turned and glared at him. "Oh, really?"

"Not, you know, not her boob! I just wanted to see Dani eat. How does it work? Nothing comes out when I suck-" He broke off when Blondie elbowed him in the gut.

My father couldn't stop laughing. "Seriously, Esme, was he switched in the hospital and nobody ever told us?"

Mom shook her head. "No. Remember how he used to smack his head into the wall for no reason when he was a toddler? I think he jarred something loose."

"That explains it."

"What? I mean, I know she doesn't make milk until she has the baby, obviously, but are there little holes that we can't see? I've done extensive study on tits in my time, and I've never seen where the milk could come out."

"I'm not even dignifying that with an answer. Carlisle, you clearly didn't do a good job when it came to discussing sex ed with the boys. I think you should have another talk with them."

He snorted. "They could probably teach me a thing or two by the time they were old enough to vote. But clearly Emmett needs to read up before he even thinks of having a child."

"I'm on it," Jasper said, looking at his phone. No doubt he was perusing Amazon for the right books as we spoke.

"Fine. I'm dumb. But seriously, Edward, does milk come out now when you squeeze the fun bags?"

Christ. Charlie looked like he was going to have an aneurism at the images that Emmett was putting in his head. "I'm going to just…yeah." He hightailed it out of the room.

"Nice job, dumbass. That's his daughter."

"What? It's not like he doesn't know you have sex. There's proof of it now and everything."

"Moron. I don't…I haven't…" But now he had me wondering. What would happen when we could have sex? I needed to look that up. Or ask my dad when nobody was around.

"You have to refrain from sexual activity for a while after having a baby, Emmett. Generally around six weeks or so." My dad rolled his eyes, probably at the fact that he even had to tell his eldest son something that should be pretty obvious.

My brother's eyes got comically wide. "Six weeks? You have to go without sex for six weeks? Your dick is going to fall off!"

"Emmett Matthew Cullen! Can you please refrain from talking about your brother's and Bella's anatomy and sex life?" my mother demanded. "It's not appropriate."

"And it's actually longer than that, because the last month or so of pregnancy is difficult."

"Two and a half months? Damn, bro, that's brutal." Emmett turned to Blondie. "Let's adopt."

"At the rate you're going, you're going to find out firsthand what it's like to go without for months on end, without the benefit of a cute little baby," she told him, flipping her hair. "Ass."

"Fine. I'm just saying, that's a long time. And you know, just because they can't have sex doesn't mean they can't do other things. He could find out if the milk squirts. Can't you?" he asked.

I just shook my head. Even if I could, I wouldn't. There was something seriously wrong with my brother.

"I've read that some men do drink their wives' milk, suckle just like the baby does," Jasper offered.

He was so random. I didn't even want to know. Well, I did, but not because I wanted to do it. I just wondered if, when we got the go-ahead, I'd get a mouthful of milk if I played with her nipples. Was it bad if I did? I didn't know. I really needed to talk to my dad.

"They do. It's actually not that uncommon," my dad said. "I've certainly tasted it before."

Fucking hell. More shit I did not want to know. My brother lit up and immediately started peppering my dad with questions. Thankfully, Reed Girl called for me, so I hurried upstairs.

She was standing at the crib, smiling down at it. I went over to see what she was looking at and all thoughts of breast milk flew out of my head at the sight before me. Dani was in her crib, and yes, damn it, she was definitely smiling. Nobody could tell me any different. Of course she was smiling, because Rainbow was lying next to her, her paws wrapped around Dani's little arm, rubbing her head on Dani's face.

"Do you have your phone?" Reed Girl asked.

I whipped it out and started video. I did a lot of that lately. I was going to need to get a bigger data package now that I had a baby. But there was no way I couldn't film this.

"Rainbow loves her," I murmured as I watched my daughter wiggle and smile.

"Of course she does. How could she not? She's amazing."

It wasn't long before Shorty stuck her head in. "Is it safe to come in?"

"Sure. You have to see this," Reed Girl invited, gesturing to everyone.

They filed in, and everybody was as taken with the sight as we were. Everyone had their phones busy snapping and recording away.

"Maybe if we had a baby, Emmett Junior would become cool."

Blondie snorted. "Sure. You keep telling yourself that."

There could never be a cat as cool as Rainbow. Watching her love on my daughter made me feel warm inside. My wife wrapped her arms around me, and the smile on her face was stunning. And I knew that I'd drink her breast milk without complaint when I could finally get my hands and mouth on her again. Nothing that came from her could be gross. Not to me.


	49. Chapter 49

**A/N Happy National Rum Day! It's also National Bratwurst & National Roller Coaster Day. I wouldn't recommend combining all three of those at the same time, though. Could get messy :) Oh, and it's True Love Forever Day. Only fitting when we're dealing E&B, isn't it? That's one I hope we all celebrate (though I haven't met mine, yet).**

**It's the last couple of days for Meet the Mate entries! And we have 60 of them posted so far! So many good ones! How I'm supposed to pick just one fave is beyond me, when I have about ten or so. And even more that I want more from. It's also nearing time for the Fandom4LLC compilation! Support a great cause and get another look at Danny through Reed Girl's eyes at the same time! Win/win, right?**

**I have a couple true cat stories for you from this week. First, on Wednesday, I went down in the morning to feed the cats and such and noticed that the cat pooper scooper was inside the litter box. Think they were giving me a hint? Yeah. I know it was Logan. He's quite particular about the cleanliness of his box, but he's never been a smart ass about it until now. Then, on Friday, I took Lily and Logan to the vet for their annual shots and check-up. Dixon freaks out whenever any of them have been to the vet, to the point of hissing and spitting and being a general pain in the ass. I bring L &L back home and he catches the scent, but rather than carry on against his big bro and sis, both of whom will smack him around when they're irritated, he turns on poor Punkin, who was nowhere near the vet! Saturday morning she was crying and carrying on, clearly wanting me to follow her, so I did, downstairs to the sliding glass door. She wanted to run away because her favorite cat was being a bully dickhead! But I'm happy to say that things are back to normal now. Dixon's being sweet again and they're loving on each other as usual. Crazy little animals. hehe.**

**Football is back, and my Bucs are...not. haha Didn't look overly pretty last night, but I shan't let that diminish my excitement for the upcoming season. If they suck, as usual, I still have fantasy football. hehe Bright side every way you look! Newest team name: Watt's Luck Gotta Do W It? I'm quite fond of that one!**

**It looks like chapter 52 will be the epi/last chapter! I've written 51 now, which is sort of an epi as well. You're getting two, so there you go. haha Start thinking of any outtakes you'd like to see. If I can get to them, I will. In the meantime, how about a little daddy/daughter photo time? I know we'd all love to be flies on the wall for that one! Enjoy and I'll see you next week! Have a great one!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 49

"Why can't we go with you?"

I looked at Jasper, not remotely surprised that he was depressed about not getting to go to Dani's and my photo shoot.

"Seriously? Why in the hell would you go?"

I wasn't sure why I asked. I knew the answer to that. _ESPN the Magazine_ had offered to come to us-in fact, they wanted to show us in our natural environment or some bullshit like that, but my house was enough of a fucking madhouse right now without a camera crew and reporter adding to the insanity. Also, I didn't want my family watching while I posed with my daughter. That was just fucking weird. I was already never going to live it down with Emmett. He didn't need to actually be there to see it happening.

"Because it would be fun. And I'm an athlete, too."

Fun, my ass. "Yes, but you don't have a kid, unless there's something you haven't told all of us. In which case, rest in peace; because Shorty is gonna kill your ass."

He laughed. "Nope. I'm just an uncle to the cutest little girl ever."

I couldn't deny that. "She is. And you'll see her when you get back. You guys are hitting New York today anyway."

He made a face. "The girls want to shop."

No shit. "So, take Em, Dad, and Charlie and do something else. See the Yankees or some shit." I didn't care what they did, so long as they did it far away from me. I was actually almost looking forward to going to the shoot just to get some time to ourselves, such as it was.

They were leaving soon. I kept reminding myself of that. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy having them here. I did, mostly. I hadn't had to change Dani's diaper since Mom had forced me to endure the poopy diaper. That kind of rocked. Jasper fucking loved showing off his diapering skills, probably because it made Shorty sigh and wish for a baby of their own. Or maybe because he knew he was better at it than I was. Yes, I really fucking hated that. Reed Girl reminded me that I would get plenty of experience once they were gone and I'd be better than him in no time. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. It was pretty fucking confusing.

"I guess. Hard to believe we're going back in two days."

"You'll be so damn busy you won't miss us." Okay, so that wasn't true. "Practice starts up soon."

He smirked. "I know. And it's not so far off for you either. Are you looking forward to it?"

Yet another confusing thing in my life. "Yes and no. I look forward to the season starting. We're going to kick some ass. But I hate the amount of time I'm going to have to spend away from Reed Girl and Dani."

He nodded. "Yeah, I figured you'd have issues with that. At least you'll only be separated for a few days at a time rather than weeks like last year."

That was true. But last year there wasn't a baby in the mix-well, not completely anyway. She was already growing and changing almost every day, it seemed like. Realistically I knew I couldn't be with her twenty-four-seven, but that didn't mean I didn't want to.

"I know. It's still gonna suck."

He laughed. "I figured. But you can look as away games as a time to get some sleep."

I had to laugh. That was true. Dani was up constantly. I knew she'd get on a schedule at some point-the book assured me this was the case-but it wasn't fast enough for my liking.

"I guess. And Bella will have Dottie to keep her company when I'm away. I'll still miss them, though."

Jasper smirked. "Man, have you changed since freshman year."

Yeah. Maybe. "You've changed, too."

He shook his head. "Just in that I don't smoke up, yeah. But I'm still the same dude I've always been. You're virtually unrecognizable. I mean that as a compliment, though."

"Thanks, I think." I glanced in my mirror and ran the comb through my hair again.

Jasper grinned. "But not entirely. You're still the same in some ways."

I knew damn well he was calling me vain. What the fuck ever. I looked good, clearly. So good that a national magazine wanted my daughter and me to grace their pages. They were lucky to have us, too.

"I have to look good. I'm getting my picture taken."

He chuckled. "Yeah, but I'm sure they'll mess with you once you get there. You don't need to primp yourself."

I smirked. Perfect setup. "They can't improve on perfection, Jasper."

"Uh-huh."

"Come on. I've got pictures to take."

We headed downstairs and found everyone, as usual, gathered around Dani. Mom had her, and they were all cooing over the fact that she was wearing her little jersey with my number on it. I had to admit, it was cute as hell.

Reed Girl put a tiny little blue bow in her hair. Yeah, my daughter was totally going to outshine me at this photo shoot, and I was absolutely okay with that.

"Edward! Isn't she adorable?" My mom just fucking beamed at Dani. "I can't get over it."

Everyone else in the room was snapping pictures, including Jasper, who rushed over to get in on the action.

"You've got your own paparazzi, kiddo."

I took her from my mom and held her up. Her big blue eyes focused in on me, and I swear she smiled. "You're cute as hell, Dani."

"Language!" Mom admonished. At least she didn't smack me since I was holding Dani. Hmm, yet another way to use her against my mom if she got mad at me. Total win.

"It's nothing but the truth, Esme." Dad nodded. "She's the cutest."

"See? Dad agrees."

"Would someone get this crazy cat off of me?"

We all turned to Charlie, who was leaning back as Rainbow reached for his face. She was going for the stache again. She'd done it several times since he'd gotten here, once she'd relaxed about the others being around Dani.

Reed Girl stood up and scooped up Rainbow. "You can't get it off his face, silly girl. It's attached."

"Next time I come visit, I'm going to have to shave," Charlie muttered, getting to his feet.

"Might be for the best," I told him, amused as hell that Rainbow would never give up her quest to get his moustache. She was nothing if not persistent.

"We should be heading out. Are you sure you don't want us to go with you?" Emmett grinned at me. Yeah, he was enjoying the hell out of this.

"No, we're all good." I had to grin down at my daughter. She did look fucking cute. She was going to steal everyone's heart when they saw the pictures. Nobody could make fun of me when they saw her.

"Are you ready to go become a star, Dani?" Reed Girl kissed her back of her head.

Dani let out a little gurgle. "I take that as a yes. Let's do this."

She was going to be a star. My star. And it seemed only appropriate that her first photo shoot, and hopefully last if I had any say about it, would help Danny's charity. She was standing up for her namesake. We were going to rock it.

Xoxoxoxox

"Can you believe this is the first time we've been alone in nearly three weeks?" I asked Reed Girl as I navigated our way into the city.

It was our first family outing since we'd brought Dani home. She was turning us into homebodies, along with all our visitors. Luckily, we loved being in our home. And seriously, the amount of shit we had to bring with us when we did take her out was insane. The diaper bag was stuffed-probably with too much stuff, but Reed Girl wanted to have all her cutest outfits with us for the shoot.

"I know." Reed Girl slipped her hand into mine. "I love having everyone around, but I'm ready for them to go."

"Just two more days, baby." Charlie was leaving along with the others. Only my parents would remain, and I knew they were going to have to head out soon. At least Dad was. Mom might just move in forever. I wouldn't be remotely surprised.

My wife smiled. "I don't mind. Yeah, it's a little crazy right now, but the help we've gotten has sure been nice. I doubt we'd be as well-rested as we are right now if we didn't have so many helpers." She smirked. "You'd probably have to get some make-up to cover the bags under your eyes before they take your picture."

Ha! As if I could ever look bad. "Please. There will be no make-up. Like I told Jasper, you can't improve on perfection."

Reed Girl snickered. "I'm glad your ego is still healthy, Champ. Being a father hasn't diminished it at all."

Of course not. "After you told me what seeing me holding Dani does to you, did you really think that it could?"

When I didn't get a response, I glanced over at my wife.

She licked her lips. "Three more weeks."

Fuck. She didn't have to tell me. We'd joked about me marking off the days with little X's, but in reality, I had a countdown going on in my head.

"I can't wait, baby."

"Me either."

Something in her tone had me looking at her again. "What does that mean?"

She shrugged. "Nothing. I can't wait to be with you again."

I believed her, but there was more there. "You sound weird. Nervous or something."

"I'm not nervous, per se, it's just…"

I raised an eyebrow at her.

"I mean, my body's not going to be totally back to normal yet, if it ever is."

Ah. I should have known. She was still self-conscious about the baby weight. "You know I wanted you when you were eight months pregnant with Dani, Reed Girl. I want you right now. Just like you think I'm sexy when I'm holding our daughter, I feel the same way about you. When you feed her and you look down at her, and she up at you…it's fucking beautiful."

I winced automatically when the f-word slipped out. Mom made no bones about smacking the hell out of anyone of us who slipped, including Jasper, who wasn't her kid. It was kind of hilarious. She was training us like we were Pavlov's dogs or some shit.

Reed Girl laughed. "Did you just brace yourself for a blow?"

"Mom's lethal, baby. Don't tell on me."

She touched my cheek. "After what you just said to me? I would never tell on you."

I smiled. "I meant it. Every single word. If I could fuck you right now, I would." I glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Dani's car seat. "If our daughter wasn't here, that is."

"Yeah, I think our days of hopping in the backseat for a quickie are over."

It was hard to mind when Dani made a little sighing sound. "I'd rather take my time with you anyway."

Reed Girl took a deep breath. "Three more weeks."

I chuckled as I moved our joined hands onto her thigh and stroked her with my thumb. "Now who's counting down the days?"

She shifted under our touch. "Me. Well, both of us."

Damn right. "Let's hope those three weeks go as fast as these last ones have."

Seriously, time was flying. I couldn't believe we'd had our daughter home for three weeks already. It seemed like only yesterday she was born. Would I blink and Dani be all grown up, heading off for college? I hated the fucking thought of that.

"It's funny. I want it to go fast, but I also want to hold on to every single second."

Not for the first time, I wondered if my wife was a mind reader. "I was just picturing her leaving us to go to college."

Reed Girl laughed. "Now that's jumping ahead. We're a long way from that, thank God."

"Yeah, well, you know me."

"Yes, I do, Daddy. You want her to be little forever. But even when she's not so little, she'll still be your little girl."

She would. Always. "You never know how big it is, until she's actually here."

"I know. I loved her before she got here, but now, it's everything."

The awe in my wife's voice made me smile. "She's changed us."

"I'll say! I don't think I've ever seen you drive under the speed limit."

I glanced at the speedometer and, yeah. I was. I hadn't even done it consciously. "I have to be careful. My most precious cargo is on board."

Reed Girl gripped my hand tighter. "I love how you love her."

I brought our hands to my face and kissed hers. "I was referring to both of you."

"I know. Three more weeks."

At least she wasn't feeling apprehensive about me seeing her naked anymore. As if she could ever be anything other than perfect in my eyes. "Three more weeks."

Xoxoxoxox

We arrived at the ABC Sports studios and were ushered into a dressing room. Reed Girl popped out her tit and fed Dani while we waited for the wardrobe person.

"Edward Cullen?"

I turned to the lady who filled the doorway and was studying me like I was a specimen under a microscope. "Yes?"

"I'm Tasha. I'm here for hair and make-up."

Fuck. I hated that shit. "I don't need any-"

"Sure you don't. The lights are hot and can make your face shiny. Nobody's saying you're not gorgeous. Now sit your cute ass down and let me get to work."

"But-"

"Don't make me force you."

I sat before she tried. I was pretty sure I could take her, but she was a bit intimidating. Maybe we could sign her to block for me. Reed Girl giggled as Tasha started slapping shit on my face. Was that powder? Jesus fucking Christ.

"Are those eyelashes of yours God given?"

What? Like I'd wear fake ones?

She burst out laughing at the look on my face. "I was just speaking out loud. I can tell the real from the fake. It's my job. I was just saying God was sure kind when it came to putting you together."

I didn't even know what to do with that. My wife continued to laugh as Tasha put me through her version of torture. I was pretty sure she could kick major ass on the field.

She finally finished with the powder and then started fussing with some other shit before she got to work on my hair, which was already as perfect as the rest of me, thank you very much.

"Soft as silk. What product do you use on your hair?"

I shook my head, not wanting to go there, but my wife had no such qualms.

"It's called Kerastase Nutritive Bain Satin. It costs a small fortune, but that's what he just has to use."

Hey! "You use it too, woman!"

Reed Girl just grinned at me as she shifted Dani from one boob to the other. "Well, of course I do. I like what it does for your hair, so why wouldn't I use it on mine? Plus, it's there."

"Wise woman! It's working for both of you. In fact, your hair might be prettier than his."

Well, I should hope so. My hair wasn't pretty. It was manly and sexy and stuff.

"And I see your little one has her daddy's hair. You don't need any work at all, do you, gorgeous?" And Tasha was off, cooing at Dani. "She's adorable, truly."

Reed Girl beamed at her. "Thank you! We think so."

Tasha laughed. "So do the powers that be! They've been salivating over this photo shoot since they saw the picture of those two together. Be prepared to reenact that one, big guy."

Fuck. I knew it. They were going to make me do the shirtless dad pose.

She patted my chest before heading to the door. "Don't do anything to mess up my work, or I'll break out the blush and bronzer."

"I'll be good."

She swept out as quickly as she swooped in.

Reed Girl smirked at me. "I do believe she terrified you. I don't think I've ever seen that before."

I laughed and sat next to her. "You most certainly have. The last month of your pregnancy, you were pretty fucking terrifying, baby."

She shook her head. "I didn't mean to be."

I kissed her and then the top of Dani's head. "I know. It was the hormones. Hell, baby, I was just grateful you were pretty low maintenance before this one came along. Can you imagine Blondie or Shorty pregnant? Thank fuck they're miles and miles away from us. I feel for my brother and Jasper, sort of." Though, really, they had it coming. They knew what they were getting into with those two.

Reed Girl laughed. "Emmett might not survive."

"Not a doubt in my mind that he won't, baby. I sure as hell won't be there to protect him." Let him fend for himself. "Speaking of protecting, where were you when Tasha was torturing me? All you did was laugh and give her my hair-product information."

My wife batted her eyes at me. "I was just letting the professional do her job. Plus, she was full of compliments for you. I thought you'd be eating that up."

Maybe if she weren't caking my face in crap, I would have. "You broke your vow, baby. You should have saved me. Instead, you've thrown me to the wolves."

She laughed again, handing me Dani and a burping cloth before she tucked herself back into her shirt. I put my daughter over my shoulder and did the patting and rubbing that she liked. She snuggled right into me now. She knew her daddy had her and would help her get her burp out.

"I could hardly step in and stop her when this whole thing was my idea."

I scowled at her. "Huge vow betrayal. You're going to have to make it up to me."

She smiled and kissed me quickly. "I will. In three more weeks."

Three more weeks. They couldn't come soon enough.

Xoxoxoxox

"There's our star!" The photographer came at me with a big grin on his face. I started to greet him, but he stopped beside me and touched Dani's cheek. "Hi, pretty girl. I can't wait to take your picture."

I had to laugh. If I was going to play second fiddle to anyone, I was okay with it being my daughter. I was getting rather used to it these days, and how could I mind, when everyone who saw her was completely dazzled by how cute she was?

"Hi. I'm Saxon." He shifted his attention to me. "What we're going to do is take a bunch of candids while Kate interviews you. I'll tell you to hold your little one a certain way, but don't focus on me. If I need you to shift, I'll let you know. Just relax and be yourself while I do my thing."

I could do that. "Okay." I shifted Dani so I could see her face. "You good with that, baby? No fussing or dirtying your diaper while our pictures are getting taken. The poop face is your least attractive face."

I saw a flash go off in the corner of my eye, but I did as requested and didn't look his way.

Reed Girl chuckled and reached out to fix Dani's bow. The camera kept flashing.

"I see Saxon's already getting gold. I'm Kate Garrison, and I'll be interviewing you while he works his magic."

I turned and took in the grinning strawberry-blonde. Like me, she was dressed casually in jeans and a nice shirt.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Edward, this is my wife Bella, and this is Dani."

Reed Girl said hello and shook her hand.

"You're a beautiful family," Kate said with a smile.

"My camera loves them," Saxon agreed.

I shot Reed Girl a smirk, and she just shrugged. "Of course it does. You two are gorgeous."

"All of you are," Saxon said, snapping more pictures.

I raised a brow at my wife. "Told you." I turned to Saxon. "Hey, could you maybe take some pictures of the three of us between clothing changes and stuff? I want some pictures for our house. I'll pay you."

He grinned and waved his hand. "No problem. I'll hook you up with some great ones."

Good. Reed Girl just rolled her eyes, but she wasn't going to argue with me. We needed our first professional family photo. I was determined to have a good one.

Kate turned on a recorder and started recording. "Let's get going. What's it like, being a new dad?"

Christ. Like I knew how to put it into words? I looked at Reed Girl, and she gave me an encouraging smile. Okay, I could do this.

"It's exciting and exhausting and exhilarating."

Kate laughed. "Tell me about it."

"Well, she sleeps a lot, but not so much at night, when I want her to. That leads to the exhaustion I mentioned. But I also don't want her to sleep that much, because just having her look at me makes me feel good inside. She smiles at me, even though everyone tells me it's too early for her to do so, and it's everything. The most important thing I'll ever do."

Saxon ordered me to sit and turn Dani facing the camera, so I did that, knowing he was getting us in our matching number sevens. I couldn't help but smile at the picture we made, and Reed Girl's grin couldn't get any bigger.

"Speaking of important… You're the most important person on the football team. How do fatherhood and football compare?"

I started to laugh that off, but as I thought about it, I realized there were some similarities. "When I'm out on the field, I have to be prepared for everything. I sort of do that now, with Dani."

"How so?" Kate asked.

"Well, I'm always thinking of _what ifs._ What if she chokes? What if she gets a fever? What if my mom kidnaps her and takes her to Florida when she goes home? I try to anticipate every little thing, so if it happens, I can deal with it."

"So you're preparing for contingencies at all times."

"Exactly. And my team is dependent on me to make the right decisions, to not drop the ball. I want Dani to depend on me as well. I don't want to let my team down, and I certainly don't want to let her down."

Kate smiled. "I think anyone as determined as you are to do it right will get it done."

I smiled when Dani gurgled. "I plan on it."

The first wardrobe change came, and they left me in my jeans but threw on a white cotton shirt. Dani wore the same and we posed on a bed, her propped up on a pillow but wrapped in my arm, me smiling down at her, her watching me with those big blue eyes. She handled it like a champ, only crying a couple of times when a loud noise startled her or a flash surprised her.

Kate asked about my fears, my hopes for Dani, all that kind of shit. I answered it all. I grinned and bore it though the shirtless portion, where I was lying on the bed with Dani in nothing but a diaper on my chest. She fell asleep during those shots, and I stroked her soft hair.

When Saxon was done with that set of photos, he directed Reed Girl into bed with us. She lay next to me, her head on my shoulder, both of us looking down at our sleeping daughter. From the noises Saxon was making, I knew we had our winner. Although the ones he took of all three of us in jerseys were probably going to be epic, too. Well, we had a lot of walls.

The last set of photos found me dressed up in a black suit and red tie, for reasons unknown, and Dani in a frilly red dress with some red band with a flower around her head. Admittedly, she looked cute as hell, and she wore tiny little shiny black shoes with it that had Reed Girl squealing in delight.

"You look like you're going on a date!" Reed Girl clapped her hands. She had been taking her own pictures with her phone and sending that shit to my mom and everyone else. Of course she fired off more when she saw us all dressed up.

"That was the point." Saxon went to work, directing me this way and that, finishing with Dani's forehead touching my neck, cuddled into me. "Perfect."

"Yes, it is." Reed Girl gave me a smacking kiss before taking Dani off to feed once more before we went home.

I loosened my tie and checked with Kate to make sure we were done and could head home. It had been a quick few hours, but I was ready to get out of there.

"Are we all set?"

She smiled. "Yes. I have to tell you, this was by far one of my favorite interviews. Dani is such a good baby."

I grinned. "She is. She's obviously got her mother's temperament. Thank God for that."

Kate laughed. "You were a hellion, huh?"

"According to my mom, though nobody was worse than my brother. I'm lucky she even had me after dealing with him for a couple years."

She smiled. "Are you two planning on having any more?"

Without a doubt. "Yeah, but not for a couple years. We want to have some quality time with Dani before we add to the family."

"That sounds good." Kate glanced around. "You know, before you got here, I was contemplating whether I'd make a move on you or if you'd make one on me."

What? Fuck that noise. I immediately took a step back. "Listen…"

She shook her head. "Don't worry. I'm not hitting on you."

Thank fuck.

"I knew you were a new husband and father, of course, but that doesn't stop some men." She shrugged. "I don't judge. But the instant I saw the way you looked at your wife, I knew that there wouldn't be any hitting of any kind. And to be honest, attractive as you are, I'm really glad. You guys give me faith that love is real."

"Thanks." My wife walked in with our daughter and smiled at me, and yeah, I got what she was saying. The odds might be against a lot of people our age but not against us. We'd gambled and won. Of course we had. We were Cullens.


	50. Chapter 50

**A/N Happy Go Topless Day! Yep, it really says that on my site. I imagine some people would be delighted if any of you partake in said day! It's also National Spongecake Day, which hopefully is no relation. haha. And Hug Your Sweetheart Day! They surely would enjoy that even more if you celebrated Topless Day at the same time. Just some helpful advice! Enjoy!**

**You guys, today is NOT my day. Actually this whole weekend is not my day, but today especially. First, somehow or other I hurt my elbow to the point that I can't straighten my arm without a lot of pain. And it's my right arm, which is my dominant arm. So I forget and reach for something and it's like holy hell stabbing pain. I think I hyperextended it. Anyway, I'm a side sleeper, and I can't sleep on the right side at all because I'm incapable of actually rolling over onto that arm. Even putting my comforter on hurt last night. Finally got sleep and what happens? Fire alarm goes off downstairs at 1:30 AM (why do these things always happen in the middle of the night?) Nothing was on fire, but it scared the shit out of me, of course. Had to get up, get dressed (which is a process with one decent arm) and investigate. The battery was changed in the damn thing just a couple months ago so that shouldn't be it. The green light keeps turning off, though. And, with my inability to truly reach, I can't even get into it to change the battery or clean it out to see if there's anything causing the problem. I've already texted my brother who is going to come over at some point to help. But it sucks. You root all week for the weekend to arrive and then you have arm pain and sleep problems? Blah.**

**On a happy note, did my first true fantasy drafts this weekend and got an A+ grade on team Jamal About the Johnsons. hehe That damn team better perform well is all I'm saying! Preseason football is still going strong, and we're getting there. So excited!**

**Okay, this the last regular chapter of this story. The next two are epilogues of sorts, with a small time jump for first one and a large for second. And the second one is a long one! I've already written over 8000 words and it's not done yet. So at least we'll go out with a bang! I'm so grateful that so many of you don't want to say goodbye to them. I would hate to write them past the point that anyone cared :) The love for them makes me so happy. I'll write more on that later, but I just wanted to thank you as always for the support. Have a great week! I might be longer to get to review replies this week, just depends on how my arm does throughout the day. Thankfully the writing position is one I seem to to manage. Take care and have a great one!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 50

It was finally here. Months of planning had lead to this moment. I couldn't help but grin as I took in the field. We'd divided it up into sections. The serious, money-paying kids who were training to play for leagues and school were starting with the coaching staff. The kids who were there for fun were starting with the players. I'd be rotating my way between each section, making sure everyone got to play with me.

I was thrilled that the team had stepped up, letting us use the facilities and coaches free of charge for the charity. We needed the help. Some kids had come from as far away as California. There was already a waiting list for next year. Likely we'd have several camps next year instead of just one. The interviews I'd given leading up to the camp had definitely worked.

I'd even worked it into my photo shoot with Dani. That magazine had hit the stands two weeks after we'd done the shoot, and yeah. It was their highest-selling magazine that wasn't a body issue. Of course, I was fairly certain my mother had bought half the copies herself. She'd probably hand them out to every person she met from now until Dani graduated from college. To say the pictures had gone over well would be an understatement.

They'd gone with the picture of Dani asleep on my bare chest, me playing with the bow in her hair as I smiled down at her for the cover. I hadn't really even posed for it; I'd just been looking at her, and that had been that. It was an awesome picture, to be sure. All of them were. My favorites were the ones with all three of us, though, one of which had made it into the magazine, much to Reed Girl's chagrin. And the pictures that were taken just for us were fantastic as well. We had photos on display in just about every room.

"Hey, Edward!"

I glanced over at where Alec stood with a few kids and parents. It was time. I jogged over and grinned at the group. The boy in the middle had a shaved head. I felt a little pang, thinking of Danny. He would have been the first one to show up today if he'd been alive. I did my best to shake off the sadness. There was no room for that here.

"This is Tevin, Jesse, and Aron. Guys, this is Edward."

I shook hands. "You're all clearly here to play. What's your position?"

Tevin stepped forward. "I'm a corner."

The kid had some height already and couldn't be much older than ten or eleven. "Good. Prince is actually going to be here soon. He can show you some things."

"Yeah!" Tevin lit right up at that.

Aron held up his hands. "I'm a receiver."

"You're with me, man." Sammy came up and clapped me on the shoulder. "Paul's on his way."

"Excellent. And you?" I asked Jesse.

"I want to be a quarterback, like you," he murmured softly.

I noticed that he glanced at the other boys, almost like he was waiting for them to laugh or challenge that, but that shit wasn't going to happen here. Respect your teammates was the number-one rule.

"Great. Then you're with me. Coach Taylor is going to be here, too. He's my position coach and will teach you how to read defenses. Sound good?"

He smiled shyly. "It does."

"Come on, boys. I'll show you the locker room, where you can put your stuff." Alec herded the boys along.

"This is going to be fun," Sammy said, bending to stretch his legs out. "And it'll get us back in shape before training camp."

I snorted at that. "Some of us aren't out of shape."

"No shit. I guess when you're posing shirtless in a national magazine, you can't let yourself go at all." He was laughing his ass off but still managed to snag the ball I tossed at his head.

"You're just jealous," I said, catching the ball he lobbed back at me.

"I am. But it'll be me in a year or two."

I raised a brow at that declaration. "Oh, really? Do you have some news?"

He grinned. "Not yet, but I'm thinking of proposing to Emily around Christmas. That'll be a year after we met. If we're still as crazy about each other then as we are now…why not?"

I laughed. "You're asking me? I told Reed Girl we'd be getting married about two months after we met. I did wait a while to propose, but that's because I wanted to wait until the draft. It was a done deal long before that, though."

"So you don't think I should wait?" he asked.

What did I know? "You should do it whenever you want to do it, man. If that's tomorrow or in a year, whatever."

"We can't all be as quick as Colin."

I laughed. "No shit."

A month after their first kiss, Colin had called and asked me and Reed Girl to meet Kim and him at the courthouse. They'd had a quick wedding with only the two of us and Dani as their witnesses. Kim was ready to pop any day now. Colin was coming to help with the camp, but his phone was going to be on him at all times.

"He's psyched to be a dad." I was blown away by how excited he was to have an instant family. He wasn't remotely bothered that he wasn't biologically related.

" _A father is more than a man who donates the sperm. I didn't do that part. Any asshole can do that. But I'm the one who's going to be there to teach him how to read, write, play football, shave, drive… That's the part that really matters, Edward."_

And it was. I couldn't imagine what the moron Kim had dated before was thinking, walking away from his son. I wouldn't trade anything in the world for Dani, not even a dozen Super Bowl wins. I was already anxious for her to get here. Reed Girl had promised to bring her by before camp wrapped for the day. She wasn't ready to put in an eight-hour day at this point, but I still couldn't wait to see her.

Nothing in the world beat the bright smile she gave when she saw me now. Yeah, her lip twitches when she was only a week or so old had been cute, but now she really gave me a grin. It was the best thing ever. It was hard to believe she was two months old now. Where had the time gone?

"Well, of course he's psyched to be a dad. We all see how much you love it." Sammy laughed. "And how effortless you make it look."

It wasn't effortless by any means. I second-guessed myself on shit every day. But it was worth it. "It's the best thing I'll ever do."

"Yeah." Sammy twisted his mouth and then nodded. "Do you think maybe you could come with me to a jewelry store after camp sometime this week?"

I couldn't help but grin. Reed Girl would be beyond thrilled to have her two closest friends here married to two of my teammates. "Yeah. Just let me know."

"Sure." His grin widened. "Incoming."

"Edward!"

I turned at that excited voice and crouched down with arms wide open as Chelsea launched herself into them.

"Chels! You made it!" I'd missed her. Things had been hectic right after Dani was born, with our houseful of people, and after school got out; she and her parents had gone to visit the grandparents. They'd taken a long road trip because Chelsea had refused to leave the kittens behind and they'd just needed some time away. I got it. But I had missed her.

"Of course! I had to be here. I'm your best blocker and your special consultant."

I laughed and gave her a squeeze. "That you are. You ready to kick some butt out there today?"

"Of course! Mom and Dad said to tell you hello. They'll be back before it's over."

Good. I'd hoped they'd watch a little of the camp, get a feel for what we were doing here. I knew it was hard on them, though.

"How are the kittens? Did they do well on the drive?"

Chelsea laughed. "Renny yelled a lot at first, but eventually she got used to it. Eli slept most of the time."

I smiled. "That's what cats do in the car, unless they're Rainbow." She didn't sleep. She watched everything from her perch on my shoulder or Reed Girl's lap.

"I miss Rainbow, and so do the kittens. Can we come see her again?"

I tousled her hair, which was now all grown in. It was hanging just above her shoulders. "Of course. She'd love to play with you guys again." Well, Chelsea, anyway. She tolerated the other two, but I was sure she'd be happier if they were left behind. "We'll have a picnic or something in the next week or two."

"Sounds good. Hi, Sammy!"

"Hi, Squirt. About time you remembered me."

Chelsea grinned. "I remembered. I just wanted to talk to Edward first. He's my friend."

I smirked at Sammy. "Yeah. I'm her friend."

"You wound me! I thought we were friends, too. I guess I'll just go cry-" He broke off with a laugh when she tackled him. He went down with a loud "oof."

"Thatta girl!" Colin came up and gave Chelsea a hand up. "I'm glad to see your dirty playing style hasn't gone away."

"It's not dirty. I had to take him down before he walked away. He's my friend, too. It's that Edward's my _best_ friend. Well, here, anyway."

Before I could get too big of a head at her words, she'd had to add that last part and deflate my ego. I laughed my ass off. "You do know how to put me in my place, Chelsea. I'm going to have to keep you away from my daughter. I can't have her learning how to cut me down like that."

"No way! I want to meet Dani! She's really cute. I like the pictures you sent."

"I'm glad you like them. And she is cute. She'll be here later, so you can meet her then."

"Okay, good." She looked around. "So, when do we get to play? I want to block someone."

"I think you're wasted on blocking. We should put you on the d-line," Sammy said, getting up and rubbing his backside.

"Seriously, she's dirtier than Suh; she may as well play his position," Colin agreed.

"I want to do both. I can tackle, and I can knock people down who try to get Edward. I'm good at it."

I had to smile at her proud declaration. "You are, Chels. We'll use you to demonstrate some tackling drills. You see that big red thing over there?" I pointed at the tackling dummy. "You hit that as hard as you can and-"

She was off before I could finish my sentence. "I didn't mean now!" I called after her, laughing when she smacked into the dummy, barely budging it. "Oh, well."

"Let her at it. She's having fun." Colin smiled as he watched Chelsea tackle the dummy again. "It's good to see."

"Yeah, it really is." I laughed as Chelsea did some kind of crazy little butt wiggle dance after she moved the machine a little more. "Speaking of having fun, are you ready?"

Colin gulped but nodded. "I'm scared to death but excited at the same time. Kim's under strict orders to call not only me, but you, Bella, Sammy, Brady, and everyone else who might be here if and when the time comes. I'll probably check my phone every two minutes."

I couldn't blame him. We hadn't planned on having Dani, obviously, but the timing couldn't have been better. I'd be insane if it happened during the season and I was on a road trip or something.

"At least he'll be here before the season starts."

"Tell me about it. I'd hate to miss a game, but I'd totally do it if he came during one."

Yeah. It would suck, but the choice was easy. If Reed Girl and I ever had a baby during the season, I was going to be there. No matter when it was.

"What's it like?" he asked, looking nervous.

"Well, it's scary at first, but then the process takes so damn long that you tend to calm down. I was still nervous, but I concentrated on keeping Bella comfortable and busy. A lot can happen in thirteen hours."

"Thirteen." He groaned. "God, I hope it doesn't take that long. I'll be a crazy person."

"Nah. Just remember to bring books, games, phone and camera chargers, music…shit to pass the time with. Bring your playbook," I suggested, because why not? He should bone up while he was waiting.

"Good idea. Kim has her bag packed, but I hadn't thought of putting anything in there for me. I'll do that when I get home."

"Two weeks to go, unless he's an early arriver like my Dani." I grinned. Reed Girl said that it was my genes kicking in that made Dani early. I did like to be early to things. Besides, it wasn't like she minded. We were happy she'd arrived when she did, although I'd been a little panicked at first since we were alone. I should have known my mom would move heaven and earth to get to us when she heard, though.

"I'm ready. I think."

I laughed. "Yeah. One thing I've learned is that you're never ready for everything. But you'll be good. You love Kim and the baby. That's the most important thing."

"Yeah. You'll be good, man," Sammy assured him.

"Are you guys going to stand around talking all day like a bunch of girls, or are we going to do this?"

The fact that it was a girl doing the asking made us all crack up. "Sorry, Chels. We didn't mean to waste time talking about feelings when we should be playing football." I shook my head. "What were we thinking?"

She had her hands on her hips, and scowled at me. "I came to play."

"Let's do it, then."

Xoxoxoxoxox

Everything was going exactly like I envisioned when I'd imagined Danny's Dream camp. Kids, players, and coaches were everywhere, running drills. We had several kids who were coming off cancer treatments, along with a couple who had Down's Syndrome, and even one little guy in a wheelchair.

I set him up as a blocker, in front of Chelsea. She'd smiled at me, giving a little nod without me even saying anything, and she lightly ran into his chair, letting his arms stop her before she went down.

"Good block, Jimmy!" I called.

He gave a little fist pump as the running back scampered past, into the end zone.

"Great technique," Coach Ranier, our o-line coach, told him. "Keep blocking upward like that so she can't get any leverage on you."

I watched as they set up the next play.

"Mr. Cullen?"

I turned and shook the hand of the man who held his hand out to me.

"I'm Jimmy's father."

I smiled. "He's a great kid. And please, call me Edward."

"Yeah, he is. I'm Mike Haynes." He blew out a breath. "I just wanted to thank you for letting him participate. It means the world to him. To us. He plays in some special leagues, but to get to play with kids who aren't in wheelchairs, and with you all, well, it's just awesome. He was so excited to come today, and he's having the time of his life out there."

And that, right there, was exactly what I'd wanted when it came to this camp: for everyone to get to take part and to be treated equally.

"He's doing a great job." I smiled as he steered his chair into the path of the oncoming runner, taking on the part of the defender now. "I don't think he's stopped smiling since he got here."

"He hasn't. I worried that he'd spend most of his time on the sidelines, but he's been right in there from the get-go."

"That's what we wanted."

I watched as the quarterback over to my right completed a long touchdown pass to the corner of the makeshift end zone. Sammy crowed with joy when the boy he'd been coaching up out leaped the corner and tapped his toes inbounds.

"Perfect! That was exactly like I showed you, Cody. Great jam."

Mike smiled. "Looks like you've got some potential players here, too."

"We do. That quarterback has a great arm. I'm going to do some one-on-one with him in a few, as soon as that scrimmage is over."

"Well, I know you have a lot going on. I really just wanted to thank you. I have no doubt we'll be coming to this camp as long as you have it."

I shook his hand again. "That would be fantastic. We'll have some sign-up information for next year. We're definitely going to be expanding the program. It's going to be a blast."

"I had no doubt. And if you need any volunteers, let me know. I'd love to help out, however I can."

I eyed him. He was pretty tall and well-built. "Did you play?"

He nodded. "Some tight end in high school."

"Did you guys check in with Alec when you got here?" Alec was in charge of the list of participants.

"Yes."

"Give him your contact information. We'd be glad to have you."

He grinned. "Looks like more than just my son's dreams have come true today. Thank you."

He headed off to where Alec was busy setting up drinks and snacks. His words resounded with me, though. Making dreams come true. That's what it was all about.

"I hope you're up there watching, Danny, and that's it everything you would have wanted if you were here. I wish you were."

"He is." Arms wrapped about me from behind. "It's absolutely fantastic, Edward. What you're doing here is a wonderful thing."

I smiled. My wife was here, her timing impeccable as usual. I turned in her arms and pulled her to me.

"Hey, baby."

"Hey, Champ." She reached up and brushed her fingers through my hair, her eyes studying me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm good. I was just having a moment."

"I know. But he is here. He's in every smile on every single face, in every completed pass, and every tackle. You're keeping his memory alive in the best way." She laughed when Dani let out a little gurgle from her stroller. "Okay, maybe second best way. She's the first."

There wasn't a doubt in the world that she was. I kissed Reed Girl soundly before bending to lift our daughter.

"You are the best, aren't you, Dani?"

She gave me an answering gummy grin, clearly agreeing with me. I brought her into my chest, kissing the top of her head, where she was sporting a purple bow today.

"Your mom won't leave your hair alone, will she, Dani?" I grinned when Reed Girl reached up and tugged mine. "I know the feeling, kid. I told you that your hair would be the envy of every woman, and it already is."

Reed Girl chuckled. "Yeah, well, after that magazine came out, we got hundreds of bows sent to the Giants office, some from companies wanting her to wear them. She's like the model for baby bows or something."

I clutched Dani to me tighter. "Don't even joke about that, baby. She's not modeling."

Reed Girl just rolled her eyes. "She will if she wants to, Champ. This isn't the place for squishing dreams."

Okay, so she had a point. But still. No modeling. That was a gateway to her being taken away from me. No way, no how.

"Edward! Edward!" I turned as Chelsea's excited voice got near. "I want to meet her!"

I laughed and crouched down, holding Dani more on Chelsea's level. "Okay, Miss Impatient. Dani, this is Chelsea. She's going to be a good friend to you and teach you the stuff that girls should know. Chelsea, this is my daughter, Dani."

"Hi, Dani." Chelsea reached out and touched her face softly. "You have the best name in the world. Don't you forget that." I saw some tears in her big blue eyes, but she quickly blinked them away.

"We won't let her," I promised. "Not between you, Bella, and me."

"Good." Chelsea smiled then. "She's really pretty."

"We think so." Reed Girl bent and gave Chelsea a hug. "Hi, sweetie. It's good to see you."

"You, too! Edward said we'd do a picnic or something next week, if that's okay."

"Of course it is. I can't wait to see Renny and Eli again. I bet they're getting big."

Chelsea nodded. "Mom says they're growing like weeds. They'll be as big as Rainbow soon. Maybe they'll double team her and take her down."

Reed Girl laughed. "I doubt it, but they can try."

I had to join in. No way in hell was Rainbow letting anybody take her down, not even two cats. "She'd enjoy the challenge."

"Speaking of challenges, are you having fun out there?" Reed Girl asked, smoothing Chelsea's hair out of her eyes.

"I am! I made a couple touchdown-saving blocks and helped us score a bunch of times."

"She did. Chelsea's still my best blocker." I couldn't help but be proud of that fact. She kicked ass.

"Of course I am." She looked around before lowering her voice. "The other girls aren't very good."

I had to bite back a laugh. She was right; she was better than everyone except one girl, Janey, who was playing with one of the advanced groups. She was in Pee Wee with her brothers and could hold her own.

"Well, most of them are new to the game. But you can help me teach them, right?"

"I guess." She shrugged. "I like being the best, though."

Good point. "But to be the best, you have to beat the best. So we have to coach them up, and then you can take them down."

She thought about that for a minute before nodding. "Okay. I'll do that. Bye, Bella! Bye, Dani." She paused. "Can I give her a hug?"

"Sure, but you have to be gentle. She's pretty fragile yet." I held Dani out, and Chelsea wrapped her arms between mine, very lightly. "Perfect."

"We're going to be friends," Chelsea said, giving her a little kiss on the forehead. "Okay, I'm going to go play now."

I grinned at her. "I'll be right there."

She ran off, and I turned to my wife. "Are you staying awhile?"

"Yeah, we'll be here. Dani wants to see her daddy coach them up. And I want to watch my sexy husband do the same."

I smirked at her. We'd gotten the all clear to resume sex two weeks ago, and while we weren't quite as active as we'd been pre-baby, we were still doing pretty well. Thank god for nannies who took the occasional night shift. Dani had cockblocked me more than once, though. We'd had a few talks about it, but it hadn't accomplished anything, other than to make Reed Girl laugh her ass off.

"Enjoy the show, baby."

I kissed her and then kissed Dani's forehead. "Be a good girl, Dani. Daddy will be right back."

I handed her back to Reed Girl and then headed back toward my team. Time to play.

Xoxoxoxoxox

"That was so awesome! I was the best blocker, wasn't I?" Chelsea skipped around me as I navigated my way through parents, coaches, and kids. The place was a madhouse as we wrapped for the day. But it was a good one. Everybody had had a great time and gotten to participate. I was already looking forward to tomorrow.

I bent down and looked into her eyes. "Don't tell anybody I said so, but yeah, you were."

Her grin grew wider before she threw her arms around me. "Thanks, Edward! I had a really good time. I can't wait for tomorrow. I'm taking out Jermaine."

I had to laugh at her targeting one of the more elite players at the camp. If anybody could take him down, it would be her. She'd find a way.

I ruffled her hair. "Take it easy on him, kiddo. He wants to play pro one day, and he has the skills to do it."

She tilted her head. "If he wants to play against you guys, he's gotta be ready for the hard hits, doesn't he?"

I couldn't fault her logic. Still, I'd have to keep an eye on her tomorrow. I didn't want her hurting herself or him for that matter.

I took her hand, and we made our way over to the bench, where Reed Girl sat with Dani.

"Bella! Did you see me play?

My wife grinned at her. "Of course I did, Chelsea. You were one of the best ones out there! I knew you'd take down all those boys."

"I did! And I didn't kick anyone, even though some of them needed kicking."

I laughed. We'd had a discussion about sportsmanship before the scrimmage. At least she'd taken it to heart.

"It's a good thing you didn't kick anybody. Kickers don't get much love on the football team, except when they hit the game winner," I told her.

"I don't want to be a boring old kicker. They don't get to tackle."

That was true. On the rare occasions that they did, it usually wasn't pretty.

"She's all about the tackling, aren't you, Chels?"

I turned at the voice behind me and smiled as Chelsea launched herself into her mother's arms.

"Mom! Did you see me? I was really good!"

"Of course we saw you. You were better than good! You were great!"

"Darn right you were. That's my girl." Her dad gave her a hug. "We're very proud of you, Chels."

He stood and held out a hand to me. "You've done an amazing thing here. We couldn't be prouder to have our son's name attached to this camp." He shook my hand heartily. "I can't tell you how many parents I talked to who thought this was fantastic."

I didn't even know what to say. I had to swallow the lump in my throat at his words.

"Thanks. We're really glad you could make it." Trust my wife to step in, knowing that I needed her help. She hugged Joyce and then Steve. "And we have someone we want you to meet."

She picked Dani up out of her stroller. Joyce's eyes got a little teary as she admired my daughter, who was in her Giants' jersey in solidarity with the day.

"She's beautiful. Hello, Dani. You're just as pretty as your name."

"Would you like to hold her?"

"Sure."

Reed Girl made the transfer, and Joyce smiled down at her, even though the tears had started to fall. "Steve was wrong. This is the best thing to have our son's name attached to."

"She's beautiful," Steve said, watching his wife with a sad smile.

"Thanks. We think so. We only hope she can live up to his name." I smiled at Joyce and my daughter. She would. I didn't doubt it.

He glanced around, at the kids and families still milling about. "I think she can. This does. We can't thank you enough for all you've done."

"No need. You and Danny have given us something bigger to focus on than the next game. It's been way more rewarding than I could have imagined."

It was true. I loved football. I lived it. And I always took it seriously, except for today. Today I got to have fun with it. It was like being a kid again, when I just played for the love of the game. Not that I'd ever stop wanting to play and win. No way. Even though we hadn't kept score today, this felt a lot like winning.


	51. Chapter 51

**A/N Happy National Toasted Marshmallow Day! Damn it, now I totally want smores. hehe Not related, it's also National Frankenstein Day and International Day of the Disappeared, which hopefully are not related, but you never know. Weird ones today, my friends. It's also only two weeks until football officially kicks off, so YAY!**

**I must apologize for failing to issue a tissue warning last week! I totally meant to (and I'm doing it today as well, so TISSUES MAY BE NEEDED) but I blame my arm pain and lack of sleep for forgetting. I'm happy to say my arm is fully recovered, so no excuses today. Thanks for all the well-wishes and suggestions there. You guys would have enjoyed my daily, sometimes hourly, texts and phone calls telling my parents and some friends that I could touch my face and eat with a fork and such. It was like being a little kid again, wanting every achievement celebrated, but it really felt like an accomplishment at the time. I don't know what I did to myself, but I damn well don't want to do it again.**

**My Bucs were back to being craptastic again, so not much to say about them. Let's talk Fantasy! I got an A+ grade on one of my drafts, and I've gotten nothing below a B in any of them, so I'm psyched. Then again, the league I do that autodrafts for everyone picked up Jordy and Foster, both injured, and I got an A- in that draft (thanks , for not updating player injuries) so there's not much to be said for grades and predictors. hehe Still. Fun new team names this week Thin Line Btw Luck and Hate (for the hate league, thought that was perfect) and Blue Bells Are My Forte. It's a shame I didn't get Montee Ball for that league, but you get the drift. hehe I have another draft tonight, so wish me luck!**

**I think you'll be happy to hear that the epilogue next week flew past 12,000 words. And I could have written more, but I'll save that for outtakes. haha And I've already written one of those, so we're not saying goodbye yet. I'm thrilled that so many of you don't want to see them go. Definitely the ultimate compliment :)**

**I've been asked if there's anything next and the answer, of course, is yes. I'll be taking a little break and trying to pre-write it, because it's a short story and Bella based (yes, E will be there) but I have to see what format it wants to take. And also I've been writing for a year straight and could use a little break! I read an actual book yesterday for the first time in a long time. Felt great. But I'm not going away! There are still several stories in my head just dying to get out.**

**Alright, enough yammering. I'll let you get to the first unofficial epi. There's a bit of a time jump. You'll know how far when you get a little into it. Enjoy, remember the maybe tissues, and I'll see you next week. Have a great one!**

Getting Blitzed Chapter 51

Today was fucking huge. I blew out a breath as I jogged out onto the field while the crowd cheered their asses off as loud as they could. They knew how big it was. This was the most important game yet. Yes, we'd been to the playoffs last year and even won our first game, only to flame out in Seattle a week later. Not this year, though. This year, they were going to have to come to my house. Provided we won today. And we had to, for more than one reason.

"Have you seen her yet?" Sammy asked, jogging over to me as I stood and took it all in.

The crowd was still loud. They knew what this meant. And of course we were playing Dallas. They'd like nothing better than to knock us out of the number-one seed. Plus they were contending for a wild-card spot. They needed this just as much as we did. Too bad they'd be leaving with a loss if I had anything to say about it. And I did.

"Not yet."

I knew where they were sitting, of course. But I was waiting. I had a plan, and I wanted the first time I saw her to be when I scored the first touchdown. This was a big day for more than just me. It was her first game since-

"Are we doing this, or what? Are you ready, bitches?" Colin whacked the back of my pads.

"I'm ready. Give me time, and I'll get it done."

"We got this," Sammy assured him.

"Are you completely focused on the game?" I asked, because I didn't know how he could be. Emily was due to deliver their first child any moment now. She was already past her due date.

"Emily assures me she won't go into labor today." He rolled his eyes. "My mom is with her and promised she'd get her to the hospital if need be. She's just gotta hold out for a few more hours. I need this bye week, though, man. Just in case my baby girl keeps up with her mother's stubborn streak."

Yeah, Sammy was having a daughter of his own. We'd repeated our shopping spree when he'd found out the sex of the baby, going to the same store and buying a lot of the same shit we'd gotten for Dani. Hey, what was good for one was good for the other. Reed Girl had said we could give them some of Dani's hand-me-downs, but we'd wanted to repeat the experience. It was our thing now.

"I don't know how you're even functioning right now. Remember what a wreck I was?" Colin asked, throwing back his head and laughing.

He had been. He'd gotten the call right at the end of the first season of Danny's Dream camp, and he'd taken off like someone lit his ass on fire. His son, Christopher, had come along a few hours of labor later.

Yeah, there'd been a bit of a baby boom among friends and family in the last couple of years. Em and Blondie had had a set of twins two months ago. Twin girls, thank you very much. I was pretty sure my brother was already losing some of his hair from freaking out over that one. He tried to blame it on the stress of coaching, but I knew better. He'd been promoted to linebackers coach at FSU and was doing really well.

Shorty and Jasper didn't have any kids yet, but they were talking about it. He wanted to get done with grad school first, but Shorty was getting anxious. I couldn't blame her. There were a lot of cute babies floating around these days.

None cuter than my Dani, though. Eighteen months old, and she was fucking gorgeous. Mom and Reed Girl had been right about her eyes. They'd changed over a little after she turned one. They were my exact shade of green now. She was walking and talking, just so fucking smart thanks to Reed Girl and Dottie reading to her, talking to her, teaching her shit. She had her mother's mind, for sure, and my mouth. Her first word had been daddy. As it should be. Her second had been fuck, as it shouldn't be. The hell I'd caught for that hadn't been pretty. It was a damn good thing my mom was a thousand miles away, that's all I'm saying.

My fear that my parents were going to move up north had been tempered some when Em and Blondie announced that she was expecting. Now Mom had grandchildren within driving distance, so I figured we were pretty safe. Though she'd made some noises about summer homes and winter homes. It was only a matter of time until she lived down the street, at least part-time. I was trying to resign myself to the idea. At least we'd have another babysitting option, not that we didn't have a ton already.

"Are you ladies going to sit around and chat all day or maybe go clinch a bye week?" Paul asked, coming up and sneering at us.

"We're ready. Just letting off some steam," I assured him.

"Sure." He shifted his feet. "So, have you talked to Bella?"

I laughed. Asshole. There he was, lecturing us, and he was just as bad as we were. Worse, because he didn't have his woman…yet.

"Leah is sitting with her."

He grinned. "Great! Maybe you could throw me one today?"

I snickered. "I'll see what I can do."

Paul was head over heels for the principal at one of the schools where we were running our music program. Reed Girl had invited her to our Christmas party a couple of weeks ago, and Paul had lost his damn mind over her. Leah was pretty much the one woman who seemed to be resistant to his charms so far. He was working his ass off to try to get her to go out with him. Reed Girl and I both had a feeling Leah wasn't as immune to him as she liked to pretend, but it didn't hurt to make him work for it. He needed a challenge.

"Sucker." Brady chortled.

"Like you can talk?" Paul demanded, smacking his arm.

That was true. Brady had been dating Sarah for the past few months. He'd met her at the animal-adoption event that we'd sponsored to kick off the season. A bunch of us had gone to sign autographs, take pictures, and meet adoptees. We'd brought Rainbow with us, and I was pretty sure she'd been responsible for several extra cat adoptions. She was just that cool. Sarah was one of the volunteers. They'd been together since they'd bonded over a lab that Brady had fallen for, with a little nudge from my Reed Girl. My single teammates had fallen like flies. The days of clubs and football groupies were over. Now it was all rings and babies. It was crazy, but it kind of rocked.

"Fuck off. At least I got myself a girl," Brady taunted.

"I'm working on it," Paul muttered.

Was he sulking? Yeah, he totally was.

"It's the ones who are a challenge who are worth it." I smiled, remembering Reed Girl in the locker room, then dicking me around with the music store phone number, giving me shit in the library… Good fucking times.

"Bella didn't make it easy on me at first." Of course, it hadn't taken long before I wore her down. Or so I thought. In reality she'd been playing me as easily as one of her musical instruments. Thank God for it.

"See? She's just making me work for it. It's worth it," Paul said, flipping Brady off.

"It's just nice to see the supposed ladies' man struggling to get the girl," Sammy told him, putting a comforting arm around his shoulder. "We'll help you out, man."

Paul jerked his body away. "Fuck off. I don't need your help. I don't need anybody's help."

I raised an eyebrow at that.

"Okay, maybe Bella's, but she helped all the rest of you fuckers, too."

That was my girl. "She did. We'll expect some nice gifts from you assholes over the years, to thank us for your eternal happiness."

"I got something for you." Brady cupped his package, making everyone crack up.

"Excuse me."

We all turned at the sound of Coach's voice. It wasn't happy, despite the polite words.

"If you're done having your little book-club meeting, we have a game to play. It's kind of an important one, last I checked. Or would you rather get your knitting needles and make a pretty quilt for the dog house you'll find your fucking asses in if we lose this fucking game?" His voice got louder and louder with each and every word. It was actually quite impressive.

"We're ready, Coach," Sammy assured him.

"No, I don't think you are. You're too busy running your mouths instead of your legs. Everybody give me a stadium lap, now!"

Well, fuck. This was a first. But even I didn't argue. We jogged around the field while the majority of our team laughed at our sorry asses. The Cowboys didn't know what to make of it, though Dez had fun jeering at us as we ran by. Fucker. I was going to make damn sure that Sammy had a better day than he did. He'd get more receptions and touchdowns if it killed me. Dez hated being outshined in a big game.

"You'd better catch everything I throw at you. We're going to burn that motherfucker," I told him.

"Count on it." Sammy fist-bumped me and ran over to his position coach after we'd completed our lap.

I waited as Coach came up to me. "Did you get it out of your system?" he asked.

"Talking to my teammates? I didn't know it was against the law."

He snorted. "Fuck, Cullen. I don't care if you girls want to gab all game long so long as we're winning. That's not what I was talking about."

What in the hell was he talking about then? "What? I don't have anything in my system."

"Nerves, Cullen. You're nervous, which is something I'm not used to seeing from you when it comes to football."

Oh, that. "It's an important game. I'm not nervous, exactly…"

"You're not exactly calm, either. Just play like you've been playing all year long. You really found your stride, Cullen. Win a few more games, and people around here might forget the name Manning."

I snorted. "Not until I win two, but I hear you. I just want to play well because-"

"I know why," he said, interrupting before I could finish. "But winning or losing won't change anything there. You're still doing something awesome today. Losing wouldn't take that away."

Before I could smile, he continued on. "But winning would make it even sweeter. And I wouldn't have to kick your ass, which would be tough on my old body, but I'd do it. Have some pity on your coach, though. I don't want to have to hurt you before the playoffs."

I had to laugh. "I'd tell you to bring it, but you probably would. So, instead, I'll do the ass kicking, on the field. That work for you?"

He smirked. "More than. Now get over with Palmer and go over your reads. I want to start hot. We're not taking the pedal off the metal for the next sixty minutes. You hear me?"

"I hear you. Let's kick some Cowgirl ass."

"Do it." He slapped me on the back and then headed off to yell at the defense. Coach wasn't happy unless he was yelling at someone, I was fairly sure. I was going to give him reason to smile today, though.

Xoxoxoxox

We won the toss and elected to go on defense, even though that wasn't my preference. And I'd had to grit my teeth as Dallas drove the field and capped the drive with a touchdown to Dez. I could see the fucker's grin all the way from my side of the field. I'd be wiping that shit off soon enough.

They kicked, and we got a return to our own twenty-seven. I called everyone into the huddle and looked each one in the eye.

"We settle for nothing less than a touchdown. Jennings, be ready for the check on every passing play. Hit your block and release as fast as you can. We're going up-tempo the whole way. Ready?"

I got nods all around.

"Break!"

I stepped behind my line and barked out my cadence. I saw Quinn twitching on the d-line, so I added an extra word to my usual call. He jumped. I laughed as he got called for offsides, and we got a free five yards. That'd teach him to try to jump my snap count.

I had him back on his heels after that, so I called for a quick pass to Sammy in the slot. He caught it and scampered for an extra seven yards after the catch, taking us to the forty-five. I handed off to Jennings on the next play, for a gain of four. We were right near midfield.

The next play was a quick snap to Paul over on the right hash. He caught it and scampered ahead another eight yards for a first down.

The corner was cheating up, either anticipating the run or going for a blitz. I changed the play to another quick out, this time to Sammy, getting rid of the ball just as Quinn barreled through the line and drove me to the ground. It fucking hurt, but the cheers let me know that I'd made the right call.

When I popped up, I saw we were at the twenty-three. Nice. Nearly to the red zone. It was an efficient drive thus far. I handed the ball off to Jennings for a pick-up of two. Claiborne batted my pass into the end zone for Sammy away at the last second, making it third and eight. No way we were settling for a field goal here. No fucking way.

I called a huddle so we could talk over the next play.

"I want you and you to plant yourselves just beyond the first-down marker once you're out of your break." I pointed to Paul and Sammy. "Whoever is the most open is getting the damn ball. Catch it, or I'll kick your ass." I turned to Brady and Colin. "Quinn is getting too fucking close to me on every damn play. Do what you have to do to keep him off my ass."

"On it," they both promised.

Sammy smirked as he took his position on the left side. Good. He was ready.

I took my position, and I swear I saw Quinn licking his chops. Fuck that noise. He wasn't taking me down on this play or any other if I had my say about it.

"Blue forty-two, blue forty-two, set, hut, hike!" I spat out my orders, and the ball hit my hands. I dropped back three steps, looking forward as Jennings cut through the line. He was my safety valve. Hawkins was all over Paul's ass, and Sammy had a small window on Claiborne. I let the ball fly and watched as he caught it, tapped both feet down, and fell out of bounds.

"First down!" the announcer called over the loudspeaker, not that I needed his help to know that. Sammy had positioned himself perfectly. We were first and goal, just shy of the nine-yard line.

We had time to huddle again since the play clock had stopped when Sammy went out of bounds. "Sammy, fade to the corner of the end zone. If it's open, it's coming your way. Daryl, you're the hot read over the middle. Paul, run the slant from the two. Everyone else block. Go!" I shouted, and everybody lined up as the ref set the ball.

I called for the ball, my eyes on the defense as it hit my hands. I backed up five steps. Sammy was blanketed in the corner. Any throw there would be picked or incomplete. Paul looked open, but the safety was trying to bait me. I saw it clearly. So, I checked down to Daryl. He went down at the two yard line with a good tackle from Cooper.

The safe play here would be to attempt to run it in with Jennings, but the line was stacked and a part of me was feeling selfish. I really wanted to be the one to get the first touchdown, today of all days. And at this end of the field. I'd done my best to keep my focus on the game, to not look for her, for them, but it was tough, especially because they were right there in the front row. She'd chosen the seats. I wanted to score for her.

"Boot right," I told the team as we gathered to run the next play.

Sammy laughed. "Love it! Let's do this!"

I called out my cadence, got the ball, and everybody crashed into the line, looking Jennings all the way, since I pulled out an excellent fake handoff. He sold it, hunching over and plowing into the line. I didn't have time to admire it, though. I tucked the ball under my arm and rolled right. Claiborne was the only man close to me, but he whiffed on the tackle as I ran into the end the zone.

I vaguely heard the roar of the crowd as I continued running up to the wall. I whipped off my helmet and grinned up at my girls. All of my girls. My wife was there, cheering, clapping, and hugging Leah. Reed Girl was wearing my jersey under her big parka, of course. One couldn't even tell that she was carrying our son.

Yes, the first boy grandchild was officially on the way, confirmed by the doctor just two days ago. My mom was already going nuts buying boy shit. Now that she had all her girl grandbabies, she was totally ready to spoil the only boy. For now. There'd be more if I had anything to say about it.

I shifted my attention to Reed Girl's right, smiling at the sight of my daughter clapping along with everyone else. She didn't quite know what was going on, but she knew the signal for touchdown. I held my hands up, and she mimicked me, giving me her cute-as-hell baby grin. She said something, but I couldn't begin to hear her over the crowd. Likely it was "daddy," since she was reaching for me.

I blew her a little kiss and shifted my attention to the one who held her. Chelsea. It was the first game she'd attended since her brother died. I'd offered the family tickets every week, but they just hadn't been ready to come without Danny. I couldn't blame them. Chelsea probably would have come with Reed Girl, but she'd wanted her parents to be there with her. I totally got it.

But they were all here today, cheering and smiling, wearing the orange bands for the Leukemia Society that I'd arranged to have given away to every single fan in the stadium. There was something bigger coming at halftime.

Reed Girl took Dani back from Chelsea, since my daughter was starting to get a little pissed about the fact that I wasn't taking her. Her gorgeous little face was scrunching up in temper. Yeah, she kind of took after me on that front as well. I motioned my wife to bring her forward, propped myself up on the wall, and gave her nose a little peck.

"Sorry, princess! Daddy will hold you later."

I shifted my attention to Chelsea, who was smiling. Her blond hair curled down past her shoulders now. She was shooting up, growing like a damn weed. Eleven years old but knocking on the door to being a teenager. Uncool. It reminded me all too much of how quickly Dani was going to grow up.

"For you," I said, holding out the ball to her.

She took it and hugged it to herself. "Thanks, Edward! You scored for me."

"For both of you." I pointed up at the sky and saw her eyes get a little teary as she nodded.

I knew it was time to get back to the sidelines, to go over the next series, but I wanted to bask in the moment just a little bit. Steve and Joyce were smiling, seemingly having a good time. Good. I wanted them to find the fun, along with the good, in the game again.

"See you at halftime!" I called, waving as I headed back to the sidelines.

They knew part of what was coming but not all. I couldn't wait to surprise them. I knew they'd probably cry. Fuck, I might. But it was totally worth it. First, we had a game to win. We'd damn well be leading at halftime. I was determined.

Xoxoxoxoxo

We were up twenty-one to thirteen at the half. Damn right we were. Dez had one of his mini-meltdowns on the sideline as the clock ticked down. I ignored that bullshit as I shook hands with several representatives from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

"We can't thank you enough for what you're doing to help spread awareness and bring in help to our charity," George Winters, the head of the charity, said as he shook my hand.

I didn't know what to say when someone said stuff like that to me, so I just smiled. "We're very happy to."

"We are." Reed Girl slipped her hand into mine.

Dani immediately reached for me, chanting "Dada," over and over until I took her in my arms.

"Daddy's sweaty and gross, baby."

But of course Dani didn't care. She put her hands on my face and started babbling. I caught the words "ball" and "tuhdown" and "Telsea," which was how she said Chelsea.

"Well, you're just having all the fun, aren't you?" And because my kid was fucking irresistible, I gave her a smacking kiss on her cheek, making her screech with laughter.

"Dada tiss! Dada tiss!"

"All my kisses are for you and your mom, baby."

I gave Reed Girl one for good measure. "Hi."

She laughed. "Hi, Champ. Lookin' good out there."

I smirked at her. "That was a given."

"Don't make me smack your butt in front of all these people," she murmured, that look in her eye. I fucking loved her pregnancy hormones.

"We both know if you get your hands in that area, you won't be able to settle for just a smack, Reed Girl," I whispered back.

She let out a little moan. "Time and place, Cullen."

"You started it, baby." What? She totally had. She had that look on her face that said she wanted to jump me, regardless of the fact that there was a stadium full of people around.

"And I'll finish it, after you win," she promised with a smile.

"Edward!" Little arms wrapping around my waist jerked me out of sexy thoughts.

"Hey, Chels! You ready to do this?"

"Yes!"

"And now, ladies and gentleman, if you could direct your attention to midfield for a special presentation," came over the loud speaker.

We walked out to the center of the field with the reps from the LLS Society. Joyce, Steve, and Chelsea stood on my right, Reed Girl on my left, and Dani was attached to my hip.

"Our quarterback, Edward Cullen, has something to say."

The announcer handed me the mike. Dani immediately reached for it, but I laughed and held it away from her. "Not a toy, princess," I murmured before bringing it to my face.

"First, I just have to thank you all for coming and supporting the team today. The atmosphere has been incredible, and we're totally feeding off it. So keep it coming!"

The crowd roared at my order.

"Every single one of you received orange bracelets today, just like the one I wear that a very special friend gave to me a couple of years ago." I took a deep breath. Reed Girl squeezed my waist. "His name was Danny Prentice, and he had leukemia. He fought really hard, but he lost the battle two years ago today."

It was amazing to me that this game fell on this day. Fate, I guess.

"Before he died, he asked me to make him a couple of promises. One was that I help look after his family." I smiled over at them and swallowed the lump in my throat. "I like to think I've done that one."

"You have!" Chelsea shouted, loud enough for the mike to pick it up and send it through the stadium.

I laughed. "That's good, then." I ruffled her hair. "The other was that I'd win the Super Bowl for him."

The crowd roared again at that announcement.

"I'm working on that one." I smirked at the laughter and cheering I could hear.

"The other wasn't what he asked of me, but what I asked of myself. I wanted to keep his name alive. So, my wife and I named our daughter after him, because we think Danny was a great kid and want her to aspire to be like him."

"Dani!" my daughter shouted, right into the mike, before she tried to chew on it. Reed Girl reached for her, but she started yelling "no!" so I shook my head and continued on.

"That's right, baby. That's your name. It's a great one." I had to focus back on what I wanted to say. "Also, we started a foundation called Danny's Dream, a football camp open to all children, and did other fundraisers over the past couple of years. The community's response has been nothing short of phenomenal."

I gestured to the men and women who represented the charity. "And today, I'm proud to say that Danny's Dream is presenting the Leukemia and Lymphoma society with a check for ten million dollars." Some from fundraising and sponsors, some from Reed Girl and me, but all of it for them. I was thrilled to be giving them this money.

Alec handed over the giant check to George Winters as the crowd applauded. He took the mike from me.

"Thank you, Edward. We're floored by what you've done to raise awareness for our charity, and we're honored that you chose us for this gift and support."

As we'd agreed earlier, he turned to Joyce, Steve, and Chelsea. "We're using this money to set up scholarships for children who have suffered from this disease and for their families to help with medical bills, school expenses, and anything else that comes along. We're going to call it the Daniel Prentice Scholarship. As Edward promised, Danny's name is going to live on."

Joyce and Chelsea both cried and threw their arms around me. Steve cleared his throat several times before leaning into the mike.

"Thank you. We're so honored. Danny would be so proud. This is truly wonderful."

The crowd cheered in support as we all shook hands and hugged.

"Thank you, Edward. Truly. What a fantastic surprise," Joyce said, kissing my cheek.

"Yes. He would be beside himself if he were here."

"Dani!" my daughter shouted again, making everyone laugh through their tears.

"I think he is, in his own way," Reed Girl said, kissing Dani's head before meeting my lips with hers. "I'm so proud of the man you are."

I laughed and kissed her back. "I think I have you to thank for that."

"Nah. It was always there. I just helped you bring it out sooner."

"Tisses!" Dani demanded her own kiss, so of course I complied. I couldn't say no to her. It was going to be a big problem when she got older.

"Edward!"

I passed Dani over to Reed Girl and knelt down so Chelsea could throw her arms around me. "That was really cool. Now everyone will know Danny."

I hugged her back. "They all should. He was an awesome guy."

"Yeah." She stepped back, and I wiped her tears away. "One day I'm gonna help keep his name alive, too."

I had no doubt that she would. "I'm counting on it, Chels. You're going to run this foundation for me when you get done with school, aren't you?"

Her eyes got really wide. "I am? I mean, I am! Yes! Mom, I got a job!"

We all laughed at her enthusiasm. "If only everyone felt that way about work. Very cool, Chels. You'll be great at that."

"I will. You'll see."

"None of us doubt that, kiddo." I ruffled her hair and then stood up. "I hate to give out money and run, but I've got to get ready for the second half."

Coach was probably having an aneurism. He'd signed off on this, but he damn well expected me to get back in time to talk to my coaches and plan the second half.

"Yes! You have to keep your other promise to my brother!" Chelsea patted my arm. "What's that thing they say, Dad?"

Steve laughed. "Super Bowl or bust?"

"That's it! Super Bowl or bust, Edward."

I had to laugh myself. "Well, then, I'd better get that done. Can't let Danny down."

"You wouldn't," Chelsea said. Her confidence in me made me feel like I'd already won the damn thing.

"I won't," I promised again.

Three and a half more games. Piece of cake.


	52. Chapter 52

A/N Happy Read a Book Day! That's only too perfect for us readers, isn't it? It's also Barbie Doll Day, which kind of goes with baby girls (depending on the girl) so that ties in as well. Yesterday was apparently International Bacon Day and I didn't know. Darn it.

Do you know what I did yesterday? I watched college football! It's back, baby! The season has begun and much to my utter joy and surprise, my Noles looked pretty darn good last night. Yes, it was against a team I'd never heard of, but last year they looked like crap against those too, even though they won. I'm much more excited for this season than I expected, which is a pleasant surprise. And we already had an epic ending (sorry to my Cornhusker girls, brutal loss in a hell of a game) which is one of my favorite things about football. So exciting. I wish you and your faves luck this year, and GO NOLES!

Fantasy drafts continue! One tonight and one tomorrow and I'll finally be done for the season! That will sadden me, as I appear to be a draft addict, but as addictions go, it's not too awful. And I'm thrilled to start the NFL season in just 4 days. Also, I'm thrilled that I may not have to hear the words deflategate for the near future. That's all I'll say about that! On to more important things!

Well, we made it. A year and 52 chapters later, this story is wrapping up. I know, lots of you aren't anxious for that, and neither is a part of me. Letting these guys go is just as hard for me, I can assure you. But it is time. They've gotten to where I wanted them to when I pictured this story, and way beyond it, if I'm being honest. I never imagined 52 chapters when I got to writing. Maybe about half that. But I'm glad they had more to say, and that all of you came along for the ride with us.

I'm not done, with these guys or various other E&B's that I have in my head just waiting to come out and play. And before any of you throw the word "trilogy" at me, let me remind you that I rarely ever say never, but as of this time, I'm not planning on it. I love these guys, and I love this look ahead so much, but not having had kids, the day to day of child raising is not my forte. Giving you bits and pieces, I can definitely do :) But I can't imagine doing more than that. Hopefully you enjoy what I have given you, which includes a couple of things that happened when I was Dani's age. There's something so great about Daddys and daughters.

I'll stop talking, and leave the thank you's for down below. Happy reading!

Getting Blitzed Epilogue

The first thing I noticed when I pushed open the door to my house was that it was far too quiet. My house was many things, but quiet was not one of them.

"Where is everyone?" I called.

Padding steps were soon heard, and I smiled when Rainbow came around the corner. She was reliable as always. Being nearly eighteen years old, she wasn't as spry as she used to be, but she was still doing pretty damn great all things considered. Instead of launching herself at me, she planted herself at my feet so I'd pick her up. As soon as I did, she cuddled into my shoulder.

"Did we all abandon you, Rainbow? Don't blame me. I'm actually home early for once."

Coach Klein had let us out of practice an hour early because he'd been so pleased with our performance. That shit would never have happened if Coach Coughlin hadn't retired. No way, no how. But time marched on, for all of us.

Football was weird this year. Sammy had retired two years back, and Paul had signed a big free-agent contract with Minnesota years ago and finished his career there. Brady'd torn his ACL four years prior and had opted to retire rather than rehab. Colin had been my last original teammate left, and he'd retired this past offseason. I got along with my younger teammates, but our lives were completely different. It was kind of like back when I'd first joined the Giants sixteen years ago. I'd been going home alone to call Reed Girl while my teammates went out and partied. At least now I came home to Reed Girl. There was still nowhere else I'd rather be.

"Is that you, Daddy?"

Immediately my parental antenna went up. Since the teenage years had hit, I was only Daddy when she was in trouble or wanted something. I wasn't sure which was worse.

I raised an eyebrow as Dani came down the stairs. She was tall, measuring in at just over 5'10", and her long auburn hair fell in waves down her back. She was in tiny shorts that showed way too much leg and a tank top that showed way too much other stuff. It seemed like only yesterday she'd been smiling up at me from her crib, and now she was practically a fully grown woman. Where had the time gone? I didn't like it.

"Who else would it be? Where are your mother and brothers?"

She shrugged. "Mom took Ethan with her to that talent-show thing."

Oh, that was right. Some of the kids from the music program were putting on a recital tonight. Ethan had gone because he was Reed Girl's mini-me, physically and musically. My son had had an ear for music right from the start, banging on his own little black piano early on before working his way up to the big one. Reed Girl swore he had more talent than she did. She'd know better than I would. All I knew was that my son was talented as hell, just like his mom. She was already gathering information on Julliard. I wasn't ready to deal with that. He was only thirteen.

"And AJ?"

She rolled her eyes. "Practice, of course."

I grinned at that. If Ethan was Reed Girl's mini-me, then Adam Joseph Cullen was mine. At seven, he was already showing flashes of the Cullen arm out on the football field. He was an exact miniature version of me, though judging by the rest of my kids, he wouldn't be mini-anything for long. Ethan was already taller than Reed Girl, and Dani had shot past her a couple of years ago.

"And what is it you're up to?" I asked, because she was looking entirely too innocent for my liking, smiling sweetly at me.

"I was just waiting for my favorite father in the whole wide world to get home so we could spend some quality time together."

Riiiiiight. I sighed and put Rainbow down. "What did you do now?"

She glared at me. "What makes you think I did anything?"

I had to laugh at that. "Seriously? You ask me that after you got your mother and me hauled down to the principal's office last week?"

She put her hands on her hips. "How is what I did wrong? It's inhumane that they expect us to cut into those poor frogs! What have they ever done to me? And it's not like I'm going to eat one. Those frogs died for nothing. All I did was stage a peaceful protest."

"The frogs were already dead, so it's not like you saved any. And I'm not sure how putting them in your teacher's car equals a peaceful protest." But I couldn't hold back my smile. Truth be told, I'd kind of been proud of her for taking a stand, even if her bio grade was probably going to suffer. My daughter had her standards, and I couldn't fault her for them. Dani Cullen was a force to be reckoned with, not surprisingly. She was too much like me for my own good.

"It's not like I wasn't punished." Her lips formed a pout. "I'm missing a whole month's worth of games."

It had been a stiff punishment, for sure, both for Dani and her volleyball team. She was their best player by far. Colleges were already sniffing around, sending her scholarship information. That shit didn't bare thinking about either. They wanted to take her away from me. I couldn't stand the idea that she'd be in college in just a few short years.

"Well, I guess that'll teach you to participate in civil disobedience during the sports season." I smirked at her. "You should always wait until after to get in trouble." That was totally what I did. Mostly. And really, I was too invaluable to suspend.

"Are you giving me permission?" she asked, matching my smirk with one of her own.

"Heck,no!" Reed Girl would have my balls.

"Tell you what. I won't tell Mom you said that, and you'll take me to the mall. I need a new outfit."

Christ. How could she possibly need more clothes? And why in the hell would she ask me to take her?

"You have a closetful of clothes. And shopping for them is your mother's domain, not mine." I bought sports jerseys, and that was it.

"I can't wear anything he's already seen! And Mom's not here to take me shopping."

He? Did she say he? My palms started to sweat.

"What do you mean, he?" I asked. Shit, did my voice get higher on that word? Yes, I think it did.

And then, my daughter gave me the sweetest smile she had in her arsenal and looked at me with big green eyes, batting her lashes innocently. My back immediately went up.

"Before you say no-"

"No," I interrupted. No good words came after the start of those four, especially when there was a "he" involved.

"Daddy!" She threw up her hands. "You didn't even let me tell you!"

"Tell me or ask me?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her. If she thought she could get away with telling me any damn thing that she was doing with a "he," she had another think coming.

Dani reined in her temper. She got that control from her mother. I wasn't about to admire it right now, though.

"I've already asked Mom, and she more or less said yes."

More or less my ass. "Was it more, or was it less?"

"She said that she would talk to you for me."

Of course she did. Reed Girl could talk me into just about anything. It was fucking wrong just how whipped I was.

"Then why are you talking to me instead?"

"Because I realized I didn't have anything to wear, and Mom's not here to take me shopping."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, making her sigh and cross her arms over her chest.

"Why, exactly, do you need a new outfit right this instant?"

I was very, very scared that I knew the answer to that question, but I was damn well going to make her say it. Though, maybe if I went up and locked myself in my room, we could avoid this conversation and she could stay my sweet, innocent baby girl. Yeah, that was a better option.

Before I could enact my hiding plan, my daughter took a deep breath and looked me dead in the eye. "Because I have a date tomorrow night."

Even though I knew this day was coming, even though I'd dreaded it every day since I'd heard the words, "It's a girl," I still wasn't prepared for it. I shook my head in automatic denial of the words, and Dani grabbed my hand.

"Please, Daddy! I've had a crush on Seth for ages now, and I finally got him to ask me out! Mom's met him and his family! We're just going to the movies, which I do all the time with my friends. It'll just be with a boy."

What did that mean; she finally got him to ask her out? Damn it, she was a crafty stalker, just like her mother. And now she had a date. With a boy. My mind flashed back fourteen years to the first time I'd seen my daughter with a boy. Reed Girl had taken her to those Mommy and Me classes, and I'd dropped in during a practice break to see them.

"Hey, Champ." Reed Girl greeted me with a kiss.

"Hi, baby." I glanced around the room, seeing all the kids gathered around and clapping their hands as the teacher-type sang a song. "Where's my girl?"

Reed Girl laughed and took my hand, leading me over to where Dani sat. She was in a little purple jumper thing, with her hair up in tiny pigtails. She looked cute as hell.

"Dada!" Dani gave me her version of a wave when she saw me, opening and closing her little hand.

"Hi, Princess." I scooped her up and gave her a kiss while she giggled and shrieked.

"Dada, pay!"

I grinned as I put her down, holding her steady for a few seconds as she got her feet under her. She'd been walking for a few months now, but it still made me nervous when I first put her down. She toddled over to the toys and plopped down in front of the trucks. That was my girl, playing with trucks and balls.

"She loves it here," Reed Girl said, slipping an arm around me. "And it's good to get her socializing with other kids." She put her other hand over her still-flat belly.

I linked our fingers together. We'd gotten the news just the other day that we were expecting our second child. Sooner than originally planned, of course, but that was typical of us. I couldn't fucking wait. We weren't telling anyone yet, but I knew they'd all be thrilled.

"Yeah, she's got about seven months to get used to it," I whispered, kissing Reed Girl's cheek.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a little boy reach out and take the truck that Dani had been playing with away from her.

"Hey!" I started to step toward the little thief, but Reed Girl pulled me back.

"Just a minute," she murmured.

I watched as Dani stared at the kid for a few seconds, likely working out what had just happened. Then she grinned and took another truck, gleefully bashing it into the one the kid had stolen. They started smacking them back and forth, having a fine time with it.

"What's she doing?" I demanded. She should have smacked the kid with the truck. I kind of wanted to.

"She's playing. That's Jared. He's her friend."

Oh, hell no. "But he's a boy."

Reed Girl laughed. "Are you saying she can't have any boy friends?"

"I most certainly am. She's not allowed to have a boyfriend until she's thirty. Or I'm dead. Whatever comes first." I might be dead by then if boys were already coming around. And if I did die, I'd damn well come back and haunt whatever motherfucker thought he could touch my daughter.

"They're just babies, Edward. They're having fun." Reed Girl grinned. "Jared does like to take toys from her, though. He's totally flirting."

I glared at her. "That's not funny. They should call the class Mommy and Me and the Little Handsy Pervert."

Reed Girl burst into gales of laughter. Seriously. The whole place was staring at us. One of these moms, or dads, probably belonged to Jared the Jerkoff. I should find out who birthed that little asshole and give them a talking to.

Like she knew what I was thinking, Reed Girl tightened her grip on me, even though she was laughing her ass off. "Don't. Do you know what your daughter did when he took her toy last week?"

"Sat there like she just did?" I asked. Seriously. We were going to have to work on Dani's self-defense skills. She could totally kick that kid's ass when I got done with her.

"She bit him."

I gaped at my wife. "She what?"

"She bit him. Our daughter doesn't take shit when she doesn't want to."

Huh. How about that? I had to admit, I was kind of proud. But I was still keeping my eye on that little toy-stealing shit. Maybe I could have Chelsea come by and intimidate his ass. It would be less awful than if I did it, since she was still a kid. Right?

"Whatever you're thinking, don't. She's doing great."

Dani took one of those plastic ring things and waved it around, accidentally-but probably on purpose, since she was my kid-whacking that Jared kid in the head. Okay, so she could handle herself pretty well. I was still going to teach her some stuff, though.

"Hello? Earth to Dad! Can I go or not?"

I focused in on my daughter. There wasn't remotely a hint of a baby in her face anymore. She was fucking gorgeous, just like her mother. It was no surprise that boys were already sniffing around her. That didn't mean I was ready, though.

"You can't. You're grounded, aren't you?" She wasn't, but maybe she'd think that she was, over the frog thing. And really, we should have grounded her, even if that shit was hilarious.

"No, I'm not." She put her hands on her hips. "You decided that detention and sitting from volleyball for a month was enough of a punishment."

"Well, I was wrong. You're grounded. Ask me again next week." I had an away game and could say no from Philly. Maybe that was it; I could ground her on weeks I was home and avoid her for away games.

"I'm not grounded! You said I shouldn't be, and don't think I didn't see you smile when you heard what I did! You were proud of me."

Damn it. Yes, I was, sort of. This parenting shit was hard. Shit that Edward, the man, found funny, Edward, the dad, couldn't. Or maybe shouldn't. But I still did. And she'd caught my ass.

"I heard you telling Uncle Emmett about it and laughing over stuff you guys used to do."

Well, hell. That wasn't good. But it gave me an out.

"You shouldn't eavesdrop. You're grounded."

My daughter flashed me a smirk, exactly like my own. "Well, then, I guess I'll spend the evening that I should be out on my date telling Mom about that time you and the school nurse-"

Jesus Fucking Christ, she'd heard that story? I was going to kill my fucking brother.

"No need for that," I hurried to interrupt.

Unbelievable. My daughter was blackmailing me. It would be impressive if it weren't so damn annoying.

"So, I'll go get ready for the mall, then." She stood on tiptoes to give me a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Daddy. I love you."

While my daughter darted upstairs to change-thank fuck, because we weren't going to the mall with her dressed in so little-I tried to figure out where it had all gotten away from me. Then I got my phone out.

"Hi, Champ."

Even after all these years, hearing her voice made me smile. "Hello, Reed Girl."

"I should be home in about an hour. We've got five more performances to go."

"I won't be here. Apparently I'm taking our daughter to the mall for a new outfit." I waited, but she didn't say anything. "For her date."

Reed Girl let out a little sigh on the other end of the line. "I told her to wait so we could talk to you together."

Yeah, like I needed them double-teaming my ass. I'd already had it handed to me by just one of them.

"Well, apparently she has nothing to wear, so it's an emergency and we have to go to the mall right now."

My wife huffed out a laugh. "She convinced you all on her own?"

"She blackmailed my ass," I admitted. "I tried to ground her for the frog thing, but she turned it around on me. My brother, by the way, is a dead man."

"Do I even want to know what she has against you?"

"Probably, but I'm not telling, and whatever suit of armor I buy her at the mall should keep Dani silent for the time being." Where could I find a suit of armor anyway? I wanted Dani fully covered.

Reed Girl laughed. "That's okay. Emmett will tell me, if he hasn't already."

She probably did already know. And then I'd been blackmailed for nothing. Damn it.

"Are we really letting her do this?" I asked, hoping she'd say no and be the bad guy. Dani had been smart to ask me one on one, because I had a hell of a time saying no to her, even when I wanted to, like now.

"She has to grow up sometime, Edward. And it's just a movie. She's really hoping he'll ask her to homecoming after this, though."

Christ. Dances, too? "Are we chaperoning?"

Reed Girl laughed. "Don't you mean, am I chaperoning? I hadn't planned on it."

"What week is that?" If I had a home game, I was going to that fucking dance. Dancing lead to…all sorts of things that my daughter wouldn't be doing anytime soon.

"We'll talk about that later, Champ. But yes, I think we should let her go. At least she asked us. She could have played it off as going with her friends and then met the boy there, after all."

Well, fuck. Should I hire a PI to follow my daughter every time she went out with friends from here on out, in case she was really with a boy? I hadn't even thought of that shit.

"Reed Girl, if you want me to survive this whole dating thing, don't plant ideas of the things she could be doing in my mind. It's already going to bad places without your help."

My wife laughed. "Poor Champ. You'll get through it. I'll help you."

That had my interest. "Oh, yeah? And just how will you do that?"

"There are impressionable young ears around, so I'll let you use your imagination."

I grinned. "I happen to have a very good imagination, Reed Girl."

She let out a soft laugh. "I know that from experience, and I'm grateful for it every day."

Damn right she was. "How about we put the kids to bed early and you work on distracting me tonight?"

"Ew! That's gross, Dad! Stop flirting with Mom. We have to go."

Reed Girl laughed. "Busted! Go get Dani something cute to wear on her date. And I'll reward you handsomely tonight."

"Fine. But it better be good."

"It always is."

That was true. Thank fuck for that.

"See you in a little bit. I love you."

"Yeah. I love you, too."

I disconnected my phone and grinned at my daughter. "Are you ready?"

"I've been ready. You were the one hitting on Mom."

"I'll be doing that until the day I die. Let's go, kid." Best to get the torture over and done with.

Xoxoxoxoxo

"No."

"What's wrong with it? The skirt goes down to my knees."

First of all, it most certainly did not. She was holding that shit down lower so it looked like it would go down past her knees. Second of all, she wasn't wearing anything that gave anyone easy access.

"What about that thing?" I gestured to some overall like things. "Totally in this year."

Like I fucking knew. I was talking out my ass, and Dani knew it.

"I'm not wearing a jumpsuit, Dad."

"Why not? I think it's very attractive. He won't be able to take his eyes off you." But his hands would be off her. That was the important thing.

"Dad! I should have known better than to have you bring me shopping."

"Yes, you should have. Now get the jumpsuit in your size and we can go home."

"I'm not getting a jumpsuit!" She threw up her hands in frustration. It was pretty hilarious. She reminded me of her mother when she got all worked up. "What about jeans? Can I wear jeans?"

Now that was more like it. "Absolutely."

She strode over to check out the jeans while I leaned against the wall. Some of these dresses in here were pretty hot. Maybe I should send Reed Girl over to pick up a few. Yes, I was a hypocrite, but I didn't give a shit. Dani was fifteen; Reed Girl was thirty-seven. She was allowed to be sexy. And, three kids later, she still was, thank you very much. She had a few more curves, but they were in all the right places. Damn, I couldn't wait until later.

For some reason, my daughter had a whole stack of jeans in her hands rather than just one pair. I knew better than to question that shit, though. She'd been born a clotheshorse, thanks to the billion outfits my mom and Shorty had bought her.

I watched as she walked away from me, knowing it was only just beginning. I missed the days when she walked toward me, like I was her favorite person in the world to see.

"Edward! She's up!"

I ran into the living room, phone in hand, ready to capture the moment. So far, Dani had done nothing but tease us with the walking thing. She loved to pull herself up, but then she'd fall on her butt and laugh. Of course I recorded that shit as well, because it was cute as hell.

I didn't want to miss her first steps. I'd already missed out on her first crawl. Reed Girl had FaceTimed me, turning her phone so I could see Dani motoring across the floor. I'd been in Denver, so far away. It sucked that I missed it. But I wasn't going to miss this.

Dani stood next to the coffee table, where she'd obviously pulled herself up. "Dada!" She threw up her little hands, almost toppling over, but somehow she got her balance.

"That's right, baby. Daddy's here. You want to see Daddy? Come over to Daddy, Dani." I crouched down, phone out and recording, as my girl looked at the floor and then at me, almost like she was saying, you come here.

"Come to Daddy, Princess."

"Da? Mama?"

Reed Girl came up behind me and encouraged her to come over as well. "Come on, baby girl. Mama has your Da-toy. You want your Da-toy?"

I laughed. Reed Girl was bribing Dani to come to me with a miniature version of me. She loved her plush Daddy Doll, and called it her Da.

"Da!" Dani clapped, smiling her sweet baby grin, little teeth on display. She was the cutest kid ever, and that wasn't just my bias speaking.

"Come get your Da, Dani!"

Dani started to rock a little on her feet. This was totally it.

"Da! Bo!"

Yeah, even Rainbow had come in to see what was going on. She sat next to me as I coaxed Dani to come see us.

"Everything you want is right here, baby. Daddy, Mommy, Bo, and your Da. Come get us."

I was just about to tell Reed Girl to get out her tit, maybe enticing her with breast milk, even though she'd started to wean off that some, when Dani lifted her right foot and made a move forward.

"That's it, baby! Come to Mama!" Bella called, barely containing her excitement.

The left foot moved forward, ever so slowly. But Dani took that step, too. She got a few more in before she fell on her butt. She looked at us, wide eyed, and said "Ooh." She scooted on her butt a little, so Reed Girl walked over and got her back on her feet. Dani immediately let go of her hands and started stepping again. Rainbow went over to her and stood, watching as she took her steps, moving with her when she got past where Rainbow was. Every few steps, Dani would fall, but she finally made it all the way to me.

"Dada!"

"You did it, Princess." I gave her a big kiss before picking her up and swinging her around. "Daddy's so proud of you, Dani! You're such a big girl."

Once, I'd wanted her to grow up and get to walking and talking. I regretted that now, though. Okay, not all the time, but right now I could do with baby Dani instead of teenage Dani.

She emerged from the dressing room and handed me three pairs of jeans.

"I thought you need an outfit, as in one. Why do you need three pairs?" And why was I even bothering to ask that question? I knew better.

Sure enough, I got an eye roll. "Because I haven't picked out a top yet, so I don't know which pair to wear. And Aunt Alice said that I look awesome in all three, so I have to have them."

Fucking Shorty. She would encourage my daughter's shopping habits. Just for that, I was going to get her son, Julian, the ATV he'd been asking for since he was old enough to know what one was. He could probably drive one at eleven, right?

"You called Alice for advice?"

"Of course. You weren't going to tell me if my butt looked fat, were you?"

Jesus Fucking Christ. "No. And you're not remotely fat."

She was tall and lean, though she had some curves, much to my annoyance. Why couldn't she just stay a beanpole? I was totally okay with that.

"Thanks, Dad." She gave me a sweet smile. "Now, what do you think of this top?"

It was purple and had straps. "No." Too much skin would show.

Dani laughed. "Somehow I knew you were going to say that. Come on. Let's go to another store."

And, because I was a sucker, I bought her all three pairs of jeans. We headed back into the mall. I balked when I saw her eying Victoria's Secret.

"Absolutely not. Nothing you wear under your clothes is going to be seen by your date, so you can just wear what you already have."

Dani giggled. "Jeez, Dad. I wasn't even thinking about that for my date."

Sure she wasn't. It didn't matter. Unless they sold chastity belts instead of garter belts, she wasn't going near that store.

"After we go to Forever 21, can we stop at the food court for some dinner?"

I didn't see why not. It had been a long time since I'd had any alone time with my daughter. "Sure."

I fired off a text to Reed Girl, letting her know that shopping was taken longer than anticipated, of course, and that we were just going to eat here.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a group of boys heading our way. Older boys. Boys in college. I slipped my arm around Dani and pulled her into my side as they got closer.

"Dad. What are you doing?" she hissed. Clearly she'd seen them, too, since she had a smile on her face even as she tried to pull away from me.

"Just walking with my baby girl," I answered loudly, just as they walked past.

"Dad! You're so mortifying!" she told me when they got farther away.

I didn't care. I'd seen the way they were eying my girl. I may not have put the kibosh on her first date, but I was damn well making sure she didn't date older guys. Fuck that noise. It wasn't happening.

"Maybe, but you love me anyway."

"Sometimes."

I raised a brow at that. "Really? You say that before you've gotten your new shirt?"

She giggled before kissing my cheek. "Okay. All the time. Even when you're annoying."

I laughed and hugged her to me. "Same goes, kid. Same goes."

Xoxoxoxoxox

"I must say, when I ducked into this store, the last person I expected to find was Edward Cullen. Must be my lucky day. I'm a fan."

I glanced over at the flirtatious voice to my right. Some skinny blonde twenty-something was eying me like I was something to eat.

"It's one of the last places I thought I'd be as well," I told her. I glanced around for some sort of escape, but short of ducking into a rack of skimpy dresses, I really had nowhere to go. "Just waiting on my daughter."

"That's right. I've seen her on TV at your games. She's very pretty."

I smiled, ready to give my standard line about her taking after her mom, but a snippy voice behind me beat me to it.

"Thanks. I take after my mom." Dani slipped her arm around my waist from behind. "And we really need to get back to her. I like this one, Daddy."

And I was "Daddy" again. Fucking hilarious. She was totally glaring at the chick who'd been talking to me. She really was a perfect mix of her mom and me.

I eyed the green shirt she'd picked out. Since it looked like it would cover everything, I got it without protest. We made our way out of the store, blonde chick behind us watching us the whole way out.

"God, that's so annoying! Why do women always hit on you everywhere you go? You're obviously married." Dani shook her head. "Even my friends…" She trailed off when I raised my eyebrows. "Never mind."

I laughed, sliding my arm around her shoulders. This time, she let it stay there. "First of all, she wasn't hitting on me."

"Yet," Dani muttered, making me laugh harder.

"Yet. Second of all, your father is a good looking son of a bit-scuit. You should be used to it by now." We both knew I was a DILF. I thought it was pretty awesome.

Of course that got me an eye roll combined with a shake of the head. "Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"You do a good job of running them off, just like your mother and I do." I didn't let anyone hit on me, stopping that shit cold the instant a conversation started to turn that way.

"Yeah, well, someone has to."

We got to the food court and grabbed a couple cheesesteaks from Charley's. Once we were seated, I decided to do some digging.

"So, tell me about this kid you're going out with tomorrow night."

She finished chewing before answering me. "His name is Seth. He goes to my school. He's really cute and smart."

That told me exactly nothing. "Does he play any sports? What's he into? How old is he? What time will his parents be picking you up and bringing you back? What movie are you seeing? What's his last name and address?"

I might have asked that last one so I could give the information to Jeff, our team security guy. He had connections on the police force and could run the kid for me before he came over tomorrow. I'd ask Charlie to do it, but he'd probably have an aneurism at the thought of Dani going out on a date, just like I practically did.

"He plays soccer."

Pansy.

"He plays guitar."

Explains why Reed Girl signed off on him. It was a wonder she'd ended up with a jock when she totally had a thing for musicians.

"He's got a 4.6 GPA and is in line to be valedictorian."

Uh-huh. So he was smart. That meant he'd probably have 928302303 ways to try to get into my daughter's jeans. And…wait a minute.

"They don't name a valedictorian until senior year."

Dani wiggled a little in her seat, avoiding my eyes. "Well, he is one."

Fuck and no. "Did he skip several grades?"

"Not that I know of."

My ass she didn't know. "How old is he?"

"Seventeen."

Fucking hell. "And your mother knows this?"

"Yes, of course."

Of course she did. She wouldn't see anything wrong with that, because she'd never been a seventeen-year-old boy.

"Look, Dani-"

"You already said yes. Please, Daddy!" She was looking at me now, big green eyes beseeching me to let her keep her date. I could already feel myself giving in.

"Does he drive?"

"Yes."

Fuck that noise. "You can meet him at the theater, then. I'll take you."

"Then it's not like a real date! And I'll look like a little kid. Come on, Dad. We'll go straight there and come straight home. I'll give you the movie information so you can time us."

I relented, only because I had every intention of knowing exactly when the movie ended, since I'd be planted in the back of the theater spying on her. She'd only see me if she headed to the back row, which was not happening.

"If I let you do this, I want to meet him when he comes to pick you up."

Dani stood up and threw her arms around me. "Done!"

"You don't get to get huffy or roll your eyes when I interrogate him. If he doesn't answer my questions the way I like, he can go to the movies alone."

"Daddy," Dani said, shaking her head as she pulled back from me. "Don't you trust me?"

I took her pretty face in my hand. "You, I trust. Him? I don't know. And you're one of the most precious things in the world to me. I protect my family, baby. You have to give me that."

Her eyes got a little teary and she cuddled back into me. "I do. But you know that I know how to handle myself if anything gets out of hand. You and Auntie Rose saw to that."

I kissed her temple. "I know, baby. And don't be afraid to clock him if he gets handsy."

She laughed as she returned to her seat. "It's only a first date, Dad."

Yeah, well, I'd had plenty of first dates that got more than handsy. Fuck. The next few years were going to kill me.

"You don't know what teenage boys are like. Trust me, baby. I've been there." I debated saying more. God knew I didn't want to put thoughts of sex into her head. "You've clearly heard the stories."

Her eyes got really wide. "You were fifteen when the nurse-"

"No!" But I wasn't much older than that. "But he's not fifteen, is he?" Why couldn't he be fifteen, scrawny, and shorter than her? Maybe he still was shorter than her. I could hope. Then again, at fifteen, I was still doing all the stuff I didn't want her doing. Damn it.

"Okay, no, but he's really a nice guy, Dad. And he hasn't dated a lot because he's really focused on school. You'll like him if you give him a chance."

"He'll get one." And only one. If he did anything to upset my daughter, or me, he was done.

"That's all he'll need. You'll see. He's the perfect boyfriend."

Boyfriend? "It's only your first date! No need to jump the gun on the boyfriend thing." Let's just get through this one date and see how it goes. But probably one is enough. Then back to no dates. That was the plan.

Dani laughed. "We'll see. Why are you so anti-boyfriend? Chelsea has a boyfriend. She even lives with him."

She had to remind me? "First of all, Chelsea is twenty-five. Second, she's not my kid."

"Close enough," Dani muttered, digging back into her food.

Maybe so. She was family. We all were. "Chelsea also has her own place and her own job."

"She works for you."

Yeah, she did. She'd graduated with an MBA in business administration and a degree in accounting. She'd been on the board of the Cullen Foundation for several years, and upon her graduation, she'd taken over Danny's Dream. She was running the entire operation of her brother's camp and doing a brilliant job of it.

"She does, but I can't tell her who to date." I wanted to, but I couldn't. The fact that she was living with one of my tight ends drove me a bit nuts, to be honest. But he was smart enough not to engage in any locker-room talk when I was around. He knew I'd kick his ass.

"She said you threatened this one jerk who wouldn't leave her alone."

I smiled at the memory. Trevor hadn't wanted to take no for an answer, and then he'd spread rumors about her at school. She'd been about sixteen at the time. Sammy and I had enjoyed paying him a little visit. "I didn't lay a hand on him." I pointed at her. "But I will on this Seth kid if he tries anything that I don't like."

"Yeah, yeah. You're going to love him. Just wait and see."

Right. That wasn't happening. But I might let him live, if he kept his hands to himself.

Xoxoxoxoxox

"Hey, baby." I kissed Reed Girl hello when we got home.

"Hi, yourself." She brushed her fingers through my hair. "How was shopping?"

This time it was me with the eye roll. "Total nightmare."

"Poor baby." She kissed me again while Dani snorted walking past us.

"It wasn't that bad. Except for the lady who tried to hit on him in Forever 21."

Reed Girl raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Did you handle it?"

"Of course," our daughter replied. "I'm going to go up and try on my outfit. Do you want to see?"

She'd managed to wrangle a few pairs of shoes out of me before we'd left the mall, as well. The kid was a total operator.

My wife smiled. "I'll be right up."

Dani darted past us and up the stairs with her load of shopping bags.

"Where are the boys?" I asked, though piano music started up as soon as I finished the word. "Well, that answers that."

"Ethan wanted to get in a little practice time before bed. And AJ had some math problems to solve. He's in the kitchen." She put her arms around me. "How are you doing with this whole date thing?"

I sighed and pulled her closer. "I hate it."

"I know. But Seth really is a great kid. I think you'd like him, under other circumstances."

I laughed. She knew me well. This kid could be perfect, and I still wouldn't like him. "He drives."

Reed Girl smiled up at me. She was so fucking beautiful. "I know."

"That means they'll be alone in a car. It probably has a backseat. I don't like it."

"It's her first date, Edward. She's not going to climb into the backseat with a boy on her first date." She shook her head. "You know your daughter, Champ. She's not going to be persuaded to do anything she doesn't want to do."

I knew that Dani was strong-willed. God knew that. But still. "She's my baby."

My wife smiled. "She'll always be your baby."

"Mom!"

"And she'll always be loud as hell when she wants to be," Reed Girl said with a laugh after Dani bellowed down the stairs. "I'll go check out her outfit and talk to her a little bit about boys and dating. Okay?"

I blew out a breath. Realistically, it was all I could ask for. I couldn't lock her up in the house. Reed Girl had rejected my tower plans long ago. "Okay. I'll go check on the boys."

"You do that. Hustle AJ along to bed. And Ethan can play for another half hour tops. He's got school tomorrow." She kissed me again. "I'll meet you upstairs for that retail therapy I promised."

Hell yes. I squeezed her sexy ass as she headed away. I went into the living room, newly determined to get the boys to bed on time.

AJ was bent over the kitchen table, scowling down at his math homework. I grinned when he tugged on his hair, making it stick up, just like mine did.

"Got a problem with the problems, buddy?"

"Why do I need to know how much ninety-seven minus thirty-eight is? Isn't that what we have calculators for?"

I bit back a laugh. The kid was too much like me for his own good. "Well, think about it, bud. When you're out on the football field, and you're on the thirty-eight yard line, how are you going to know how many yards you need to score a touchdown? You don't have a calculator down the field."

He frowned for a second before his green eyes brightened and he grinned at me. "The announcer will say!"

Ha! Fucking smart-ass. I loved him. "Nah, he'll announce the distance to first down. Nice try, though." I ruffled his hair. "Why don't you try thinking of it increments of ten?"

"What does that mean?" he asked.

Right, too big of a word. "How many first downs would it take you to get from the thirty-eight yard line to the goal line?"

"Oh." His face cleared and he started counting on his fingers. "A little over six."

"Exactly. But you need to get to the ninety-seven, which is the three yard line."

"So just under six," he said after a few moments.

"Six tens is what?"

He used his pencil and added it all up. "Sixty."

"Okay, but it's one less than that, because we don't need six first downs."

"Fifty-nine!" he announced, looking proud of himself. I'd seen that face several times on the field. It mirrored mine when I watched him, I was sure.

"That's right. I made it a little bit more complicated than it needed to be, but I wanted you to understand why you need math. Everybody uses it, even quarterbacks."

I showed him the real way to solve the problem, because giving the teacher a paragraph about football yards probably wasn't going to cut it. He did the next one by himself.

"Two more, and then you're done. Shower and then bed, okay, bud?"

"Okay, Dad. Thanks!"

I gave him another hair ruffle because I couldn't resist his crooked grin. He was growing up too fast as well. Why couldn't my kids stay little until I was tired of them? Then again, I probably never would be tired of them for too long. There were days, though… Oh yeah, there were days.

I headed over to the piano, where Ethan's fingers were gliding over the keys. He didn't even have any sheet music in front of him; he was doing it all from memory.

"How are you, maestro?"

Dark eyes flashed over to me as I slid onto the piano bench next to him. "I'm good."

How many years had I spent parked in this very spot, next to my wife or one of my kids? I'd been treated to countless concerts. Dani had loved to make up her own little songs, often adding words that didn't have any rhyme or reason. I had tons of videos. She was cute as hell. She would still play from time to time, but it had never been her passion. Not like it was Ethan's.

He'd taken to the piano like he'd been born to it. As soon as he was toddling, he'd toddled over to his little baby piano and banged away. Reed Girl had put him on the big piano before he could truly reach the keys from a standing position. She'd gotten him a guitar when he'd been about AJ's age, and he'd mastered that as well.

AJ could play a few songs, but he didn't have the discipline or interest to do much more than that. He wanted to be out with the guys, throwing the football. We indulged our kids' interests, as long as they gave various things a try.

"How was the show?"

He shrugged. "It was fine. There's a few kids with some talent, I guess. Mom wants me to work with this one girl."

I noticed that his cheeks got a little pink. "Oh yeah? Is she cute?"

"Dad!"

I'd been hearing that exasperated Dad a lot today. My kids were all different, but they could all invoke that frustrated tone at the drop of a hat.

"Maybe," he muttered, avoiding my eyes as he banged away.

Huh. How about that? I mean, he was thirteen. Of course he was going to start noticing girls. Was I happy about that? Kind of. And I knew that made me a giant hypocrite, since Dani dating had me breaking out in a cold sweat, but I admitted the double standard. She was my girl.

"Well, it seems to me that if you were to give her some tutoring, you two could probably get to know each other better."

His eyes, so like his mother's, looked over at me. "Yeah?"

"Sure. The music thing gives you an in." I nudged his shoulder. "Girls like it when you take an interest in the same things they do."

"But what will we talk about?"

I didn't know how I'd gotten a sweet, shy kid. His mom was sweet, but there wasn't a shy bone in her body. Thank fuck for that, or we probably wouldn't have met the way we did, and that would be a travesty.

"Music, movies, school, TV shows. All the sh-stuff that you kids are into. Find out what she likes and talk about that. And listen to her when she talks. Girls like that."

His brown hair flopped over into his eyes. I brushed it back. "And get a haircut."

He laughed. "Okay. I'll tell Mom I'll do it."

"Good." I stood, ready to head upstairs to my wife.

"Hey, Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you, maybe…could I work out with you sometime soon?"

Somehow I managed to contain my grin. He was getting into his appearance for the first time ever. I fucking loved it. "Yeah. If you want to get up early, I could take you in with me on Saturday, show you some stuff."

His sweet smile flashed. "Okay. Sounds good."

I couldn't resist giving him a hair ruffle of his own. "Yeah, it does. Head upstairs in about fifteen minutes, okay? Do you have all your homework done?"

"Yeah."

"Good. We'll be in to say good night in a bit, okay?"

"Okay."

I checked over AJ's math homework and sent him up to get cleaned up. Ethan headed up right after. I started to follow, when my phone buzzed.

What's this crap about Dani going on a date? Do you know what kind of shit that's going to start down here? Forbid it!

Asshole. Just who did my brother think he was, telling me to forbid my kid to do anything?

What Dani does or does not do isn't up to you, dickhead. And you're part of the reason she's going in the first place.

What Dani does, Emma and Erin want to do. They're almost fourteen. If Dani dates at fifteen, they'll expect to be able to. I'M NOT READY!

I laughed. At least I wasn't alone in the sea of teenage hormones and denial.

Neither am I, moron. But she's growing up, despite my best efforts. And somehow, she knew the school nurse story and used that shit against me when I tried to say no. I wonder how that happened.

I waited for the answer on that one.

Fuck. She overheard me and Jasper talking about it on the island over the summer. He told the story about the gym teacher and the nurse getting caught in the locker room at his school, so I mentioned the nurse thing. I didn't know she heard!

Fucking prick.

Maybe you should keep your stories PG from now on. You wouldn't want me slipping in front of your kids, now would you? And God knows your stories are about ten times worse than mine. Lily's into dancing. I could tell her about you and the drill-team chick.

DON'T YOU DARE! She's only ten, Edward. That's not fucking cool. I'm sorry, okay?

Yeah. Just keep your big fucking mouth shut from now on.

Fine. I can't believe it's started, though. They aren't old enough to date. They're just babies.

He was preaching to the choir.

And you only have one daughter. I have three. THREE, Edward!

I laughed. Karma was a bitch, and Emmett had gotten his. His twin daughters were younger versions of Blondie. Some of the guys at Florida State saw pictures and asked Emmett if they were eighteen. He'd hit the roof over that one. Fucking hilarious.

I wish you luck, man.

Yeah. You, too. Dick.

I slid my phone back into my jeans. Emmett's fears made me feel a little better. At least I wasn't alone. Tomorrow was going to be a trying day. Reed Girl was going to have to work hard to take my mind off of it. Somehow, I knew she'd manage. My wife rocked.

Xoxoxoxoxox

My phone rang on the way to practice in the morning, and I laughed when I saw that it was Jasper. Should have known. Everyone else had weighed in. Mom had called and had a Skype session fashion show with Dani and Reed Girl last night. Charlie had texted, asking if I still had the gun he'd given me and if I needed any pointers. My Dad had just laughed and wished me luck. Ass.

"Shouldn't you be ruining young minds?" I demanded instead of saying hello when I answered.

He laughed over the line. "I've got a little time, and I figured I'd check on your not-so-young one instead."

I winced at the reminder. I was thirty-seven. When in the hell had that happened? "Fuck you."

"I would have said yes if you'd suggested that about twenty years ago." He burst out laughing at my shocked silence. "That shit never gets old. But seriously, how are you holding up?"

"How do you think I'm holding up? I want to pack the whole family up and ship them to some remote cabin in Alaska for the next decade or so."

Jasper laughed again. "Bullshit. You still aren't used to these winters. No way in hell you'd brave Alaska."

That was true. "Fine, then I'll buy us our own island."

"Can't argue with that plan. I wish this weren't an off-year for that trip."

So true. Every few years or so, we rented out the big house down on the island that Reed Girl and I had one to for our honeymoon, the whole gang, Chelsea, along with Sammy, Emily, and their two daughters, Colin, Kim, and their two sons, Brady and Sarah, and Paul and Leah and their son and daughter. Pretty soon, we'd have to get more than the big house. Kids were getting older and not wanting to double up-and in some cases, not being allowed to. Colin's kid, Christopher, had a crush on Dani-unrequited, thank God. And Emmett swore that he'd seen Julian eying Lily, even though they were still in that asexual stage. But not for long.

"Yeah, well, not an option."

"I know. So, did you want me to come over, help you scare the shit out of this kid?"

I laughed. He knew me well. As did my wife. She'd already threatened my balls if I even thought of calling my boys over to intimidate the kid. I didn't see why we couldn't have an impromptu poker night featuring two former NFL linemen and a wide receiver who was still pretty fucking built, along with my awesome physique.

"Reed Girl says I'm intimidating enough on my own, even though I wanted backup."

He chuckled. "Well, if you change your mind, I could just happen to drop in. Maybe Wife could kick me out."

I snorted. "She'd never buy that, since Shorty would call and bitch about you." Reed Girl had been thrilled when Jasper got a job in the city after he'd gotten his masters. They were only about an hour away, and we saw each other often. It was surprisingly pretty great.

Emmett and Blondie had remained in Tallahassee, where he was now the defensive coordinator for the Noles, having worked his way up the chain the past fifteen years. Blondie taught, and the girls loved it there. Mom and Dad had a place up here and one in Tally. Since Dad retired, they spent half the year here and half in Florida, spoiling the hell out of their grandchildren in each place.

"True. I'm here if you want to talk."

I knew that. "Appreciated. Though, don't you get tired of listening to people all day long?"

Jasper was the head of guidance for one of the school districts, roving from school to school. How he did that shit was beyond me, but the vast majority of the kids loved him.

"I never get tired of listening to you, Cullen."

I snorted at the girly voice he used. "Ass. Just know that it'll be you in a few years."

"Fuck off. Fiona's only six. And Mandy is four. I have a decade, at least."

"You keep telling yourself that. I'm pretty sure I had several decades left just yesterday, but no. It's here, and it sucks."

"I don't know why I called to cheer you up. It's only depressed me."

I couldn't help but laugh. "And yet, oddly, it's lifted my spirits. Thanks, Jas."

"I hate you."

"No, you don't. See you after the game on Sunday?"

"Of course. Call me if you need an ear."

"Will do. Bye."

We disconnected, and I shook my head. Who'd have thought that Jasper would end up being one of my best friends in the world? He'd sure come a long way since college. I guess we both had.

Xoxoxoxox

"Would you stop pacing? You'd think you were the one going out on their first date," Reed Girl said, laughing as I did another turn around the dining room. I was peering out the windows, looking for this kid. I wanted to see what he looked like, what his car was like, and how big the backseat was.

"I can't help it. What if he doesn't show up?" Much as I dreaded the idea of my baby going out on her first date, I truly hated the idea that she might get her heart broken. I was pretty sure getting blown off before the first date would do a number on her self-esteem.

"He's not late. He's supposed to be here in ten minutes."

Whatever. When I said was going to be somewhere at six, I was there by five forty-five at the latest. The kid was already failing to impress me. Strike one. Well, more like strike sixty, if I was being honest. I had a whole host of reasons I hated him. He was older, he drove, he was going out with my daughter, he was older…you get the idea.

"You talked to her, right? About respecting herself and her body and not letting him anywhere near the fun zones?" I'd wanted to say that stuff the night before, but I knew I couldn't get through the conversation without losing my mind. That was why Reed Girl took the sex talk.

"That's funny coming from you, who's all about the fun zones," my wife said drily.

I shot her a pleading look, and she came over and wrapped her arms around my waist. "Yes, I talked to her. I'm telling you, she's not ready for that yet, Edward. She's excited at the idea that he might hold her hand or put his arm around her, and wonders if she'll get her first kiss good night. She's not thinking about sex."

"All of that leads to sex." I should know.

"Eventually. But not tonight." Reed Girl leaned her head on my shoulder. "We've raised a smart young lady who knows how to handle herself. You don't need to worry."

Worrying was my job. I was good at worrying. "I still think you should let me send Ben, Caius, and Demetri to the theater."

How my wife had known that I was going to send some of my teammates to watch the stupid girly flick the kid was taking my daughter to was beyond me. She'd threatened them, and they'd caved like little bitches. Sammy'd laughed his ass off when I'd tried an end-around to him, letting me know that Bella had already had their wives issue their own threats. He'd be the one begging for help in a year or two. He wouldn't be laughing then. But I would be, damn it.

"No. This is a big deal for her, Edward. Don't ruin it."

Nothing could have deflated me like those words. "I don't want to ruin anything, Bella. I just want her to stay my little girl forever."

She brushed her fingers through my hair. "We can't stop her from growing up. All we can do is be there for her as she does." She smiled. "I can't wait for her to get home tonight."

"Me either," I told her. I'd like to fast-forward to that moment right now.

She laughed. "Shocker. What I can't wait for is to change into our pjs, lie on her bed, and hear everything about the date. I've already got the peanut butter cup ice cream."

I smiled in spite of myself. That hadn't changed from when Reed Girl was pregnant with Dani. They loved their chocolate and peanut butter ice cream and spent many nights curled up in bed, watching movies and chowing down just like that. It made me long for the younger years.

"Maybe I should plan something special for the two of us soon. We haven't done that in a while."

Reed Girl nodded. "Yeah, you could probably use a daddy-daughter date. Show her how you expect her to be treated by boys."

That wasn't a bad idea. Maybe on my bye week. Dani loved getting dressed up and going out to dinner with me. Would she still, now that she could date other boys?

"She'll love it," Reed Girl said, reading my mind in that eerie way she had.

"So would I."

I felt myself tensing as a red Mustang pulled into the drive. He just had to have a Mustang, didn't he?

"Here he is!" Reed Girl actually sounded excited. "Dani!"

"I'm coming!"

"She better not be," I muttered as Reed Girl elbowed me.

"Inappropriate!"

Like teenage boys weren't inappropriate? I sighed as the kid got out of the car. He was tall but not taller than me. And blond. Hell yes, maybe Rainbow would attack him. She still had a thing about blond dudes, thank you very much Jasper.

"Rainbow!" I called.

Reed Girl elbowed me again as the doorbell rang.

"What?"

"Do not try to get Rainbow to attack him."

"I can't control what she does," I said as she pulled me to the front door. I was pleased to see that Rainbow fell into step with us.

"Yes, you can," she reminded me. She put her hand on the doorknob and glared at me. "Behave. Both of you. Remember how important this to Dani."

"Fine." But I didn't smile as Reed Girl opened the door. I made damn sure the first glimpse of me that the kid got was icy quarterback Edward.

"Hi, Mrs. Cullen. Mr. Cullen."

Mr. Cullen? Gag me. Reed Girl gave me a subtle kick, so I reached out to shake the kid's hand. I might have squeezed it a little hard, but she wouldn't know.

"Hi, Seth. How are you parents?" my wife asked, all sweetness and smiles, like this happened every day. Then again, maybe if the kid thought it did, he'd feel intimidated and not all that special. Or maybe he'd think Dani was easy. Fuck. This dating shit sucked ass.

"They're good. Mom said to tell you thanks for the help with the bake sale."

Reed Girl shook her head. "No thanks necessary. Come on in."

Why'd he have to come in? I wanted to leave him rotting on the porch, preferably all night.

He stepped inside, and Rainbow sniffed at his toes. I gave her a silent order to pee on his shoes, but she didn't comply. Damn it. We were usually on the same wavelength. Reed Girl had probably given her a talking to as well.

"Great game last week, sir."

Now I was sir? How old did this little prick think I was?

I caught my wife's glare, so I nodded. "Thanks. Do you ever get to any games?"

"Oh yeah. We go a few times a year. Dad has all your Super Bowl DVDs."

I had to smile at that.

"Only the ones you won."

And just like that, the smile faded. Four trips to the big game, and I'd won three. Did he have to bring up the one I lost? Asshole.

"Well, he'll be buying another one this year," my wife said loyally, making me smile again.

Damn right. The last one had been an aberration. We were loaded this year, and I was going back.

"I hope so. We're die-hard fans."

I just bet he was. Was he using my daughter to get to me? I'd be forced to kill him if he did. We had a big backyard. I could totally bury him out there without anyone knowing.

"I heard you play soccer." I tried, but failed, to keep the disdain out of my voice, though I was sort of glad he wasn't a big linebacker or anything. He was tall and pretty muscular, but lean with it. Dani could take him down if she needed to, and I wouldn't break a sweat if I was forced to kick his ass for any reason.

"Yeah." He smiled. "I love sports. I have to say that our volleyball team is nowhere near as good without Dani."

I thawed a little when he said that, though I suspected he missed seeing her in those stupid short shorts she wore, rather than seeing her actual athletic awesomeness. I missed her games already. She was a star. She was a Cullen through and through.

"She'll be back pretty soon. Unfortunately, she had to learn to keep her hands away from where they don't belong."

His blue eyes got a little wide; because it was pretty clear I wasn't talking about frogs.

"Edward," Reed Girl warned, just as Dani appeared on the stairs.

"Hi, Seth!"

Damn it, she looked beautiful. Too damn beautiful. Her hair was curling down her back, wild with curls. The jeans she'd had to get were practically painted on. Why had I signed off on that shit? And her top showed that she was more woman than girl at this point. She didn't have that much chest, did she? Crap.

Seth gave a little gulp when he saw her. So, the boy wasn't blind, damn it. He could be, though, if he kept looking at my daughter that way.

"Hi, Dani. This is for you." He whipped a little daisy out of God knew where, and my daughter's cheeks got a little pink.

"Thank you. It's so pretty." She took it and took a little sniff before handing it off to Reed Girl. "Mom, will you put it in water for me?"

"Of course. That was very sweet of you, Seth."

Why they were acting like he'd brought her a dozen roses was beyond me. He probably picked the thing on the way over. Cheap ass.

"It's nowhere near as pretty as you."

I glared as I saw my daughter and wife both melt a little at his words. Couldn't they see what a schemer he was?

But he was right about one thing. My daughter was fucking gorgeous. Too fucking gorgeous.

"It's cold out. Why don't you put on a jacket?" I reached into the hall closet and got out her parka.

"It's not that cold, Edward." Reed Girl handed her a tiny little sweater that didn't cover shit. "Here, honey."

"So you're seeing the six forty showing of She's the One, with a running time of an hour and thirty-seven minutes?" I asked, letting it be known that I knew exactly what time the movie would be over. It took thirteen minutes to get to the theater. So you'll be back at eight thirty?"

"You forgot about previews, Dad," Dani reminded me drily, her green eyes shooting sparks at me.

"I'll have her home before nine, sir."

There was that sir shit again. I hated this kid. And just what did he need the extra thirty-okay, maybe fifteen with previews-minutes for anyway? I knew what a seventeen-year-old could do in fifteen minutes, and it wasn't pretty.

"That sounds great," Reed Girl said. "You guys have fun."

I was about to say "but not too much fun," when she stepped on my foot as she headed to the door. It was too soon. I wasn't done intimidating him yet.

"We will. See you later, Mom."

I raised an eyebrow at Dani, and she sighed.

"See you, Dad."

"Yeah, you will. Drive safely. Both hands on the wheel." And none on my daughter.

"Yes, sir. I'll be careful."

"We know. Enjoy the movie." Reed Girl hip-checked me out of the way as she ushered them out the door, then body-blocked me from following behind them.

"What was that for?" I demanded as I watched Seth open the door for my daughter. He helped her in but didn't try to cop a feel. Good. I'd hate to have to kill him in my driveway. The blood might stain the cement.

"That was to keep you from saying whatever it was you so badly wanted to say." Reed Girl put her hands on her hips. "Did you have to be so disapproving?"

"I am disapproving! She's fifteen! He needs to know not to try anything. I didn't threaten him."

"Not with your words, no. But your demeanor said it all."

Damn it. I hated when Reed Girl was pissed at me. "I can't help it. I feel like I just got her, and I'm already losing her."

Reed Girl's glare softened a bit. "You're not losing her, Edward. You'll only do that if you act like an asshole to any boy she likes. That's what would drive her away."

Fuck. I hadn't thought of that. "Why does it have to be so complicated?"

She laughed. "Because dating is miserable, along with being exciting and exhilarating. She's just getting started, Edward. Seth's a good kid. I'm sure eventually one will come along who isn't so good, and you can scare him shitless to your heart's content."

I didn't know if I should look forward to that or not. Probably not. Yeah. No.

The Mustang drove off, and I fought everything I had in me that wanted to hop in my car and follow. She'd be back in three hours. I could survive that long.

"Come on, Champ. The boys are both sleeping over at friend's houses. We've got the house to ourselves for a few hours. How about we have our own date?"

I had to admit, as a way to take my mind off my daughter's, a date of our own was a pretty good idea.

"Yeah? What did you have in mind?" I reached for her ass, and she laughed and slapped my hand before grabbing it.

She tugged me into the living room. "Popcorn and a movie?"

I started to argue that we could do better than that, but she rubbed her belly. "I'm hungry."

Well, then. "Kick your feet up, baby, and I'll get it."

I microwaved the popcorn and came back in, laughing when I saw that she'd put in The Great Gatsby again. Some things never changed.

I handed her the bowl, sitting next to her and sliding my arm around her. She snuggled right into me, fitting perfectly like she always had.

"Tell me something. Unlike our daughter's date, which better not, does ours include a hot make-out session, followed by a quick bout of sex before curfew?"

Reed Girl chuckled. "Of course it does. Haven't you heard? I'm a sure thing."

"Thank fuck for that, baby."

We watched the movie for a few minutes, chowing down on the popcorn. Once we finished that, Reed Girl put her legs over my lap, scooting closer to me. I felt her eyes on me, rather than the movie, and looked at her.

"What's up?" I asked, brushing her hair off her shoulders.

"Do you think we're going to survive the teenage years?" she asked.

Damn. "I wasn't that bad, was I?"

She shook her head. "No, you were pretty good, all things considered."

"Well, if I can get through her first date, I can get through anything. We've only got twelve more years of teens, and the boys will be easier."

She laughed. "For you, maybe. I hate the idea of my boys growing up. And weaspeatehaew."

"What was that, baby?" She'd mumbled the hell out of whatever she'd said.

Teary brown eyes met mine, and she bit her lip before releasing it. "We might have a bit longer than that." Her hands went over her belly, and…holy shit!

"A baby? We're having a baby?"

She nodded, the tears spilling over, along with laughter spilling out of her.

Holy fuck! I scooped her up in my arms and swung her around. We'd talked about another child, decided to go off birth control a couple of years ago, and when nothing happened, we'd just assumed it wasn't in the cards. We certainly hadn't stopped having sex. We'd just stopped trying and buying pregnancy tests.

"So, you're happy?" she asked, smiling up at me.

"So happy." I kissed her hard before setting her down gently and kneeling in front of her. "Hello there, baby girl. You're never going to grow up and go on dates. You're going to stay my little princess forever, okay? We're making that vow right now. Just ask your mother. I keep them."

She laughed as she ran her fingers through my hair. I placed a kiss one her flat belly. "You don't know it's a girl."

Oh, yes, I did. My first baby girl was growing up, so I needed another who would love me best for the next fifteen years.

"I need to call Tiffany's."

Reed Girl laughed. "You have a little time, Champ. Let's wait until we know for sure to get your next 'Daddy's girl' charm, okay?"

Damn waiting. "Fine." I got back on the couch and pulled Reed Girl onto my lap.

"You know Dani never takes hers off, even when she's mad at you."

I guess I knew that. I hadn't thought about it.

"She wore it tonight?"

"Of course. She's always gonna be a daddy's girl."

"And so will this one." I put my hand over her belly. "We're really doing this all over again, huh?"

Her hand twined with mine. "We are. You up for it?"

Right now, I felt like I was up for anything. "I am."

"Good. Me, too."

I smirked. "Dani's gonna freak when she finds out."

Reed Girl laughed. "She's always wanted a sister. Though it could be a boy."

Nope. I had my sons. And I loved them. But I wanted a baby girl who would look at me like I'd hung the moon and cuddle into me and let me fix her boo-boos and teach her how to beat up boys. I wanted another fifteen years, at least, of being the love of her life.

"She'll say daddy first."

Reed Girl laughed. "Don't I know it? She's going to adore you, just like her big sister and I do."

I kissed her. "Well, one of you, anyway."

She shook her head. "Both of us."

"Even when I get overprotective?"

Reed Girl kissed me. "Especially then."

Rainbow hopped up next to us, no doubt wondering what we were so excited about.

"We're having a baby, Rainbow. You ready for this? I'm going to need you to get me through more sleepless nights and bottle feedings."

I got a head butt before she curled into my side.

"She's up for it, too. I love you, Champ."

"I love you, too, Reed Girl. We're doing this again."

We'd come full circle. Another sort-of-surprise baby, and this time, I wasn't scared. I was so ready. Bring it on.

A/N Bring it on! E&B's story never ends, which is the beauty of fanfiction. But they have come full circle. And as one child grows up a little bit, another is on the way. :) I think it's safe to say that Edward will get his baby girl. When doesn't that man get what he wants? It'd be infuriating if we didn't love him so!

And yes, Rainbow is still alive. There was a story on the news just last week that the oldest cat in the world (known) just turned 26. Now, you guys know Rainbow just as well as I do, she'd see that as a challenge if ever there was one. So, suffice it to say, she's got a lot more of her nine lives to go. And Edward needs her for late night feedings. I'd never kill her off. In my mind, they've had other pets over the years, and Rainbow has outlasted them all. That's just the way it is.

I have to thank Jenrar, who beta'd this bad boy through illness and all the other things that life throws at one over a year's time. She's definitely helped me to be a better writer and I've loved her commentary through the red corrections! Also, thanks to my friend Mary, who is the reason that Edward is a Giant. She didn't even get upset when I injured her beloved Eli fictionally. Best pre-reader ever. She found me when I was writing First, and has stuck with me through a lot of football and fun. I love them both, and thank them for the ears and guidance.

And of course, I have to thank you all again. It's hard to believe I've been in this fandom for this many years and still have so many awesome readers and friends who take the journey with me. It means more than I could ever express, and is definitely the reason I continue to tell the stories in my head. I appreciate and love each and every one of you.

Again, this isn't the end, for them or for me. Keep this on alert, because I already have the first outtake written. Get in your requests for other stuff you'd like to see, and I'll try to make it happen. And keep me on alert if you like, because I have more stories to tell :) Thank you all for the laughs, the tears, and the friendship along the way. See you soon!


	53. Chapter 53

**A/N HAPPY NFL KICKOFF SUNDAY! Come on, you guys didn't seriously think I'd let what amounts to a national holiday for me go by without posting something, did you? We started on kickoff Sunday last year, so I had to bring it completely around and post something football related today :) It's just a must! It's also International Chocolate Day, which should be every day, but I'd be happy to celebrate that one. And Hug Your Hound Day, for all of those that think I'm just a cat person, you're wrong. I love pretty much all animals :) So love on your pooches, kitties, rabbits, fishes (however one does that), snakes, and anything else you have!**

**Sincere thanks for all the love you showed last chapter, for these characters and for me as well. It means so much that they're like family to you, and will be missed, though as you can see, they're not going anywhere officially. I've got another outtake written, no guarantee when I'll post it, but there's more to come.**

**There was no way we weren't going to get a look at Edward's first Super Bowl, so that's what we have here. It takes place about a month after chapter 51. And it may cause a little teariness a time or two, so I'll issue a tissue warning. As the season kicks off officially, enjoy the close of one fictionally :) Take care, HAPPY FOOTBALLING, and have a great Sunday, week, and everything else until I see you again. As promised, it won't be long! Love ya!  
**

Getting Blitzed Super Bowl Outtake

"So, we did it. We're here. Finally." I let out a laugh and ran my fingers through my hair. "Okay, not finally. It is only my third season. Not bad on the career timeline, but still. I wish…" I shook my head and looked up.

"I wish you were here. I've never really done a lot of thinking about the whole heaven and hell, afterlife thing. Religion isn't really my thing and-" I broke off. I was rambling. "That doesn't matter. I've always kind of scoffed when athletes pray to God to win a game or thank him if they did, because why should He care in the big scheme of things? I mean, here's hoping He's a Giants fan and all, but I doubt He loves my team more than Indy's. But He should, because we're awesome."

I couldn't help but laugh at myself. "I guess what I'm saying is that even if He doesn't care, I know that you do. And I know if there is a heaven, you're up there, because how could you not be? You were just a kid when you died, which fucking sucked, and I'm pretty sure you didn't have time to do anything that would send you elsewhere, so yeah. You're there. And there is no heaven without football. That just can't be possible. I know you're watching."

He had to be. "Anyway, I just wanted you to know that I'm going to do my damndest to keep my promise." I automatically winced at my curse word, but fuck, it wasn't like he was actually here to hear me curse.

"And I know you have my back today. I just wanted you to know that I definitely haven't forgotten you or my promises. Even if I get this done today, I'm not going to forget all of it. You're part of this, kid. I wish I could do more than wear this piece of you." I toyed with the orange bracelet he'd given me. "I never take it off."

There wasn't much time left. Just getting these couple of minutes alone had been a task of monumental proportions. "So, you'll be down there with me. And well, if you do have any pull with the big guy, I wouldn't mind any assistance from a higher power. Not that I need it. Just sayin'."

I grinned. "Enjoy the show, Danny. I'm going to do my best to win for you. Your family is here with us, and I know you'd physically be here if you could. But I know you're here in your own way, just the same. Bring us luck, little man. I'll talk to you after."

I took a deep breath before heading out of the showers. I'd had to duck in there to get away from the mass chaos in the locker room. I'd just needed those few moments alone to talk to Danny and get my head ready for the most important game yet.

Sammy grinned over at me as I grabbed my helmet out of the locker. "You get what you need?"

He probably knew what I'd been doing when I told him I needed a minute alone. "Yeah. You ready?"

He laughed. "I was born that way, baby."

I smirked. "Sure you were. At least you look well-rested."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, don't tell my wife, but that's the first good sleep I've gotten since Melinda was born two weeks ago."

I snickered. I remembered those days well, and soon enough I'd be living them again. My son was due April twenty-seventh. If he was even a little late, he might share the same birthday as Dani. That would be sort of cool, though a part of me didn't want her to have to share her special day.

"Yeah, I know what that's like." But I'd missed my girls hard the past week. Yes, I'd managed to see them a couple of times a day, but I hated going to bed without my Reed Girl. Knowing they were so close but not right with me fucking sucked.

Sammy laughed. "It was weird, though. I definitely felt like they were missing. I slept, but…" He shrugged.

"Totally get it, man. Let's go out there, kick the Colts' asses, and then we can have our girls back with us where they belong."

A grin lit his face. "Damn right. Let's do this!"

Before I left my locker area, my phone beeped with an incoming text. I smiled when I saw it was from Chelsea.

_Thank you for bringing us to the game. It's really cool. My brother would have texted you today to wish you luck. Since he can't, I am. We're rooting for you!_

And there it was. I nodded my head. "Message received, Danny. We've got this."

I put my phone away and slipped my helmet on. It was time.

Xoxoxoxoxox

It was really strange being an underdog. I mean, yeah, we hadn't been favored in all of my games since I'd hit the NFL, obviously, but still. I was a touchdown underdog in the Super Bowl. Today was supposed to be Andrew Luck's official ascendency into NFL royalty. He'd been destined for this moment since he hit the league, if the pundits were correct. And maybe he was. But I'd been destined for this moment since birth. There was no way he was taking it from me. No way.

We took the field to the roar of the crowd, although it wasn't as loud as my national championships had been. It wasn't surprising, really. Way too many corporate types came to these games, because the shit was expensive. But everybody I wanted to be was here, and I had a big cheering section.

Reed Girl and Dani were seated in the family section, along with my parents and Charlie. Emmett was there without Blondie, since she'd had twins recently and wasn't up for leaving them or bringing them this early. Shorty and Jasper had come as well. And of course, Chelsea and her parents had let me hook them up for the trip. They knew they were a part of this, along with everyone else.

I waved over in their general direction as the pregame shit started up. I wished they could be on the sideline with me, but I'd have to wait until after. After I won. No celebrating on the field if I didn't. Even more incentive to win, not that I needed any.

I warmed up my arm with Sammy and Paul before sitting down with Palmer to go over plays one last time. I could feel the moment building around me as I focused on what we needed to do. Part of me wanted to focus on the spectacle around me, but fuck that noise. I'd enjoy that crap on the DVR when we got home from Miami. I'd skipped all the parties, endured all the bullshit press stuff, and worked my ass off. There was time to party after we won.

Finally, Carrie Underwood came out and kicked off the National Anthem. I soaked up that moment, the last before shit got real. After, I made my way midfield with Sammy, Colin, JPP, and Prince. Yeah, I was a team captain now. We were deemed the visitor and chose heads. We won. Coach had told us he wanted defense first, so that's what we did, even if it meant that I had to wait longer to get shit started.

We kicked off to the roar of the crowd. I didn't watch. I wasn't going to let what Luck did influence anything I did. The game plan was my focus. Palmer quizzed me on their defense over and over. I recognized all their blitz patterns, stunts, and schemes. I should. I'd done nothing but watch tape on those fuckers for the past two weeks. Longer, really, because they were the top seed in the AFC and I'd had a hunch they'd be facing us here.

I was thrilled when Coach fist-pumped because the defense held, stopping them right around midfield. The punt left us pinned pretty deep at our own twelve, but that was fine. Just more room to play.

Maybe it was ego, maybe it was my own natural competitiveness, but after weeks of listening to the sports anchors talking about Luck's arm and ability, I wanted to show off my own. I started short, running some screens and check downs, mixed with actual running plays, just to get the defense comfortable.

After we crossed the forty, I sent Sammy and Paul both on long corner routes. I took five steps with the snap, waited, saw Sammy make the break I was looking for, and let the ball fly just as Simms slammed into me. I sat up as quickly as I could when the roar of the crowd alerted me that it had been caught-I just wasn't sure by whom. But I saw Sammy scampering into the end zone and threw my arm up in my own fist pump. Seven to nothing, or soon to be when my kicker got his shit done. Way to start.

Coach slapped me on the back with the order to, "Do it again," on the next series, before he turned to scream at the defense. He was in fine form already, purple from the very start of the game. He'd probably stay that way all through, unless I could get him a big lead. I'd just have to do that for his health's sake. And, you know, because I wanted to kick some ass.

I got with Sammy, Paul, Embry, Jennings, and the new guy, Streeter, to sit with Palmer as he showed us what he'd seen with their defense. Everybody knew this was going to be a high-scoring game, as Indy drove the field with efficiency this time. I had my helmet in my hands as soon as Hilton crossed the goal line. We had to answer.

We got the ball on our thirty-two after a decent return. Indy was anticipating the throw because we lined up three wide. When I saw the hole in the line, I switched up the play to a run, and Jennings hit the hole, blasting through for a gain of twenty-two before the safety brought him down. One play, and we were already past midfield. As good as a passing play. Awesome.

They had to respect the line and tightened up against the run, so I sent Embry in a crossing pattern for a gain of eight. My next pass got deflected at the line. We needed two yards for a first down. Indy stuffed the line, and I rolled right. Paul executed a beautiful juke on his corner, and I let the ball fly. First down at the sixteen.

They anticipated pass all the way, leaving only seven in the box. I let Jennings take it right up the middle, untouched, for a touchdown.

"It's there all day!" he crowed, yanking me into a hug in the end zone.

"Damn right. Keep it up!" I ordered.

And we did. Indy got a field goal, which I answered, just before halftime. The score was seventeen to ten, and we had the ball first. I hated going in while the halftime show bullshit stretched on. It was extra long because it was the Super Bowl and they needed to rack up their commercial fees. It fucking sucked.

"We are on fire!" Sammy yelled, throwing his arms around me from behind as we hit the locker room.

"Their defense blows. Thank fuck for that," Colin said, ruffling his hair as he walked by.

"Yeah, ours is better, but the second half is going to be a shoot-out. Give me time, and I'll get it done."

"Jenkins pulled something in his right leg on that last series," Paul told me. "He's off his stride. I doubt it's getting fixed at the half. Either he's going to be gimpy or Charles is going to be out there. Either way, I can burn the hell out of whichever one they play."

I nodded. "Good. We'll test that shit on the first possession."

"Thirty minutes!" Coach yelled, getting everyone's attention.

We immediately fell in line. He yelled about all the shit we'd left on the field: my failure to see Embry being open on the field goal drive; our three and out right at the start of the second quarter. Halftime was not the time for compliments. Not until the end. He ripped into the defense next, and there was a lot more to rip. I saw JPP clenching his jaw. Good. A pissed-off defense played with even more of an edge, and we needed it.

After Coach ripped us down, he pumped us back up again, reminding us this was our game. We had the lead. We just had to keep it for thirty more minutes.

I grabbed JPP as he headed back out of the locker room. "Get me one turnover. Just one. I'll make it count, and we'll end it right there."

He nodded. "We'll get your turnover."

We took the field, and I took my time, giving the defense a little more rest, toying with Indy's. We dinked and dunked for a bit, mixing in some Jennings runs.

Once we crossed their forty, I gave Paul the signal. Jenkins was still in the game, and it was time to test that leg. I took a five-step drop, Paul cut to the left, Jenkins falling into step, and then he juked right and Jenkins couldn't keep up with him. It was an easy, beautiful touchdown.

"Told you!" he yelled when he hugged me. "Keep feeding it to me."

I would. And I did. The defense gave up a touchdown, earning Coach's ire, but I didn't let that bother me. We started the next series with a long pass to Paul, who was now covered by their backup since Jenkins couldn't go. They brought the safety over to help, so I threw a perfect fade to Sammy in the end zone. It was just that easy.

The defense decided that the offense shouldn't have to do it all alone, finally, and JPP came through. He got his big hand up, deflecting the pass. We all held our breath as Prince battled Hilton for it, and came up the winner.

"There's your fucking turnover," JPP told me as he jogged past. "Finish it."

"Dagger to the heart time," I told my offense. We had a short field, and I didn't want to waste the turnover. "If you're open, it's coming your way. Check is to Jennings. Embry take the slot. Paul, you're my first look."

They all nodded. I gave Colin, Brady, and the rest of the line the orders to protect for me. I saw it the instant the ball hit my hand. The middle of the field was wide fucking open. I faked a throw toward Paul to get the safety breaking that way, then threw to Embry as he crossed into the middle. He turned and ran untouched into the end zone.

"Dagger!" Sammy screamed, hugging me.

And it was. They couldn't come back from a three touchdown deficit, especially when we went into clock mode on the next series after they'd scored. We ran on every other play, and I'd throw short passes just beyond the first-down marker when we needed to pick one up. We were up forty-one to thirty-one when I took the field for the last time with less than a minute left.

Three quick knees, and it was over. It was almost anticlimactic after the flurry of scoring in the third quarter. I'd known that we had the win then. I hadn't let myself celebrate, though. Not until the clock hit zero.

I was then lost in a mass of bodies as my teammates piled on top of me. That was when it hit me. I was a Super Bowl champion. Finally. My dream, his dream, had been realized.

As soon as I disentangled myself from the hugs, I pointed up. "We did it, kid."

It was mass chaos for several minutes, with reporters crowding around, asking what it felt like to win, what holes I'd seen in the defense to allow us to score virtually at will, what it was like to beat Luck. The questions droned on and on. I answered as I looked for my family through the crowd.

It was crazy how different the experience was from what I'd dreamed initially as a kid. My fantasies had been all about me in this moment, basking in the adulation of the crowd and my teammates, loving that all eyes were on me. And of course, part of me still loved that. But what I wanted most, at that moment, was my wife, my daughter, Chelsea, and the rest of the gang. It wasn't going to really be real until I had them celebrating with me.

Finally, I saw my brother. Thank God he was a big fucker. I edged my way through the throng of reporters and headed in that direction. The crowd cleared some, and there they were.

Reed Girl's face was positively glowing, and this time it wasn't just pregnancy making her that way. Her eyes were shining as I reached her. Dani was in her arms, looking a little tired since it was well past her bedtime, but she smiled and reached for me.

"Daddy!"

I wrapped them both in my arms, and my wife planted her lips on mine, kissing the hell out of me for the world to see, since I had a feeling the cameras were still on me. I didn't give a fuck, though. This was our moment.

Little hands tugged my hair, so I laughed as I broke the kiss with Reed Girl and turned to kiss my baby girl, who had her little lips puckered up.

"Tiss! Smoot!" she demanded.

"Kisses and smooches just for you, baby." I peppered her face with kisses as she giggled. "Daddy won!"

"Won!" she yelled.

I laughed with her as I scooped her into my arms.

"You were fantastic," Reed Girl told me. "I'm so proud of you. You did it."

I shook my head. "We did it. Always we, baby. We're a team."

That got me a smile and another kiss. "The best team."

"Way to go, bro!" My brother slapped me on the back, albeit gently since I was still holding Dani. "What a game! You were awesome! Though your defense could have used me."

I laughed. "Of course."

Jasper threw his arms around me. "You won the Super Bowl. You said I could hug you publicly then."

Of course he would remember that shit. I didn't care, though. I'd won the fucking Super Bowl. Everyone was getting hugs.

Mom came next, telling me how proud she was of me. She took Dani so I could accept congratulations from my Dad and my grandparents.

"Great game, Edward," Grandfather congratulated me.

"Congratulations," the grandmonster said, kissing my cheek. Gross. Old-lady whiskers. "You're a credit to the family."

I smirked at that. She'd mellowed even more since Dani came along. While she didn't exactly love Reed Girl yet, she was a lot nicer to her. And she adored my daughter. I was pretty sure my kid was getting the bulk of the inheritance one day. She called her Danielle Elizabeth at all times. It was pretty fucking hilarious.

Shorty gave me a hug, and then I saw the other person I'd wanted to see.

Chelsea stepped forward, and I crouched down, opening my arms to her. She stepped in and I stood and twirled her around while she laughed.

"You did it!"

"I did. _We_ did. I'm pretty sure your brother had a hand in what happened today," I told her.

She pulled back and looked into my eyes. "He did. He was here. I felt him."

I wasn't about to argue with that. "You know, I think I kind of did, too." It wasn't a lie. Something felt bigger than the game the whole time. I liked to think it was Danny.

"You kept your promise to him, so he's happy. So am I." She smiled. "But you know what?"

"What?" I asked. I couldn't stop grinning at her. Just having her here, representing her brother, meant the world to me.

"Now we want more."

I threw back my head and laughed. "Challenge accepted, kid."

No point in getting complacent, was there? I wanted more, as well. But that was for another year.

Reed Girl put her arms around my waist, and Mom handed Dani back to me so I was holding her and Chelsea. Yeah. Right now, I had everything I could possibly want.


	54. Chapter 54

**A/N Happy NFL Sunday! We're on week 5 (already? damn) and things are interesting as always! We have 6 undefeated teams, only one winless I think (Detroit, you got screwed the other night) and my Bucs suck, but at least in entertaining ways. haha I've got fantasy to keep me happy, though. It's also International Day of the Girl Child! It seemed only fitting to highlight that one :)**

**I missed you guys! I've enjoyed the downtime, for sure, but always miss the interaction with you all when I haven't posted in a while. I plan on getting back to writing this week, so hopefully I'll have more of something, soon. I posted a o/s with potential for more and I am listening to the characters. I think I've got a few chapters at least to write with them, tho I still don't know their whole story, so we'll see. I'm thrilled that so many of you enjoyed Ain't Love Grande? and want more of it. I'll do my best to accommodate you.**

**For outtakes, they won't be in any order, just as I do them. This one happens to be about 6 months after Dani's first date. She's almost 16, the new baby is arriving very soon, and Ms. Rainbow is still very much present. I did have one request to write her death, which I'm sorry, but I won't do. Having lost the kitty that Rainbow's behaviors are modeled after many years ago, I will never relive her loss, in print or otherwise. Rainbow transcends death, and that's that.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one. I loved how this chapter came out, even if I put poor Cockyback through the ringer a bit :) His girls have to keep him on his toes, though! Happy reading, happy Sunday, happy footballin', and stay safe and awesome until next time I see you again. Love you all!**

GB Outtake 2

I sighed as I looked at the clock again. Rainbow put her paw on my leg, likely telling me to chill the fuck out, but I couldn't help it. It was all Reed Girl's fault that I was freaking out, even though she hadn't really said much about her reaction to Dani's date. I didn't know what it was, but she didn't trust him, so now I didn't trust him.

Aristotle, "call me Aro," Papadakis had been dating Dani for about three weeks. I couldn't say I was happy about it, but when was I ever happy about boys and my daughter? Reed Girl had been out the two times that he'd come to pick Dani up, first with the music program and then with her baby shower. The kid seemed just like Dani's last boyfriend, Seth, whom she'd broken up with a couple months back. At the time I'd been happy about it, but now I wasn't so sure.

Where Seth had been blond and blue-eyed, Aro was dark-dark hair, eyes, and olive skin. He was originally from Greece and even had a bit of an accent, which made my daughter swoon. I'd thought Reed Girl would feel the same way Dani did, because her favorite actors all seemed to be Brits and Aussies, but one look at Aro and her mouth had formed a thin line that meant trouble.

He was another damn senior, which I didn't like, but again, I didn't like any boy who came near Dani. Though I was kind of happy that he'd be gone in a couple of months, off to college or back to Greece or anywhere that wasn't near my kid. Hell, that was the reason that Seth and Dani had broken up, or that's what she'd told us. He didn't want to get serious when he was going away. Fine by me. She hadn't been heartbroken, thank fuck, and we'd had a few blissful months of no boys, until Aro came along.

" _You actually let her go out with him?" my wife asked as the Honda pulled out of the driveway._

_I looked at her. Her mouth was pinched up and her hands were crossed over her belly, where our daughter was no doubt kicking up a storm. She was due right around Dani's sixteenth birthday, and I couldn't fucking wait. I loved the idea that both of my baby girls might share the same birth date._

" _What do you mean? You signed off on it when she asked if she could go a couple of weeks ago."_

" _I know. But you saw him."_

_What the fuck did that mean? He looked like a normal kid to me. He was around Dani's height and on the thin side, which I liked because she could easily kick his ass if she needed to. He needed a haircut, but what teenager didn't? There were no weird piercings or visible tattoos._

" _What does that even mean? He looks like every other kid at her school, minus the whole accent thing."_

_Reed Girl shook her head. "I thought a player recognized a player when he saw one."_

_What? "What do you mean? How can you tell?" Fuck. This wasn't good._

_Reed Girl rolled her eyes. That's where Dani got it from._

" _A woman knows," was all she said, before heading off to take another nap. Alex wasn't letting her get enough rest these days. We were totally getting close to delivery day._

"Reed Girl shouldn't have told me that he was a player," I told Rainbow, who yawned and rolled over, exposing her belly for me to pet. "I should have known something was up when she asked Dani like five times if she had her phone and pepper spray before they left. I thought the hormones were making her channel Charlie or something."

Maybe that was it. Maybe the hormones were making Reed Girl imagine things that just weren't there. I wished the boys were here to distract me, but AJ was at a birthday party and Ethan was at some music camp. My sons should not desert me at my time of need, damn it. Dani had only been gone for an hour and a half and still had two hours until her curfew. Would time never move?

I flipped on ESPN and tried to get into the boring-as-fuck baseball game they were airing.

"How come you didn't sense something was wrong with that kid and kick his ass?" I asked Rainbow.

I swear she fucking shrugged before stretching up onto my chest.

"You're not pulling your weight, Rainbow. I expect you to know when possible players are taking out my daughter."

And just how was I supposed to recognize a player? Just because I'd been a little sexually advanced at my age didn't mean I knew shit about other kids. Could parents honestly tell that I was after only one thing when they saw me? I hadn't even done the meet-the-parents shit until Reed Girl came along. Aro had seemed comfortable enough in front of me. He'd come off as a kiss ass, but what boy picking up a girl didn't?

Dani hadn't responded to my text that I'd sent a bit ago, which wasn't surprising since she was at the movies. Fuck, dating sucked. I hated it. Alex wasn't dating, ever. I was going to convince her of that fact while she was little, drive it into her brain so that she instinctively stayed away from boys. I could totally do it. Just like teaching them that fire was bad and could hurt you. Boys were the same.

Maybe I should start now, while she was still in the womb. Perhaps if I'd forbidden Dani from dating pre-birth, we wouldn't be here now.

I stood, ready to head upstairs, just as the front door opened. A glance at the clock told me that AJ wasn't due home for another half an hour, but maybe the party let out early. I headed into the hallway and came up short when I saw my daughter's tear-streaked face. My heart stopped.

"Baby? What happened?"

She swiped at her face, her eyes red, her cheeks blotchy. I ran over to her, looking to see if she was hurt. I didn't see any marks on her, but my blood ran cold at the idea of hurts that I couldn't see.

"Nothing. I'm fine. Where's Mom?"

"You're not fine. You're crying. Mom's asleep. Come talk to me." It was hard, so hard, keeping my fear, and the growing anger that I felt clawing at my gut, at bay. Something, or someone, had upset my daughter. I could only hope that it was just emotional upset. If that guy had done anything to her, anything at all, I was going to kill him. And I would take immense pleasure in doing so.

"It's nothing, really. I just want to go to bed."

Fuck no. I took her arm, gently, and steered her into the living room. "It's not even eight o'clock, Dani. You're home two hours early, and you've been crying. You're not going to bed without telling me why."

I took a deep breath, trying to brace myself. My heart was now beating triple time after having stopped at the sight of her. "If you can't talk to me about it, if you're not comfortable, I can get your mom. But, baby, please. I have to know what happened." Just tell me you're okay. Please, God, let her be okay.

She sniffled. "Why do boys only want one thing?"

Every fear I'd ever had paled in comparison to the one I had at this moment. "Did he touch you? Did he force himself on you? Did he-" Fuck, I couldn't even complete that sentence.

Her beautiful green eyes got really wide. "No! Daddy, of course not!"

Thank fuck. My knees gave out, and I collapsed on the couch. Dani sat down next to me, burrowing into my chest. I held her to me as tightly as I could without hurting her.

When I'd calmed a little, I brushed her hair out of her face and wiped the fresh tears away. "What happened?"

She bit her lip, looking so much like her mother in that moment that I almost wanted to smile. But I wasn't about to, not until I knew what that little ratfuck had done to make my daughter cry. While I was beyond grateful that he hadn't touched her, or worse, I still wanted to kill him for upsetting her.

"You're going to be mad."

Well, of course I was. Some asshole had clearly wanted more than my daughter was willing to give. But I wasn't going to be mad at her. It wasn't her fault that boys were pricks.

"I may be mad, but not at you."

She huffed and shook her head. "No, you're going to be mad at me, too."

And my heart was racing again. I was going to have a fucking heart attack at this rate. A top-notch professional athlete, dying in his prime, because his teenage daughter was dating assholes. How embarrassing.

"Even if I get mad at you, I'll still love you. And I want to protect you. So you need to tell me what happened."

Part of me wanted to scream for Reed Girl to get down here and help me, but I knew the instant she did, Dani would turn to her and I'd be shut out. I loved their relationship-they were friends along with being mother and daughter-but I wanted to be the one she turned to right now. Even if this conversation might kill me.

"Do you promise not to get mad?"

Well, that didn't bode well. Fuck.

"No. But I promise to hear you out and that even if I do get mad at you, that's not going to stop me from loving you with everything I have."

That got me a tremulous smile. I wiped another tear away. Her beautiful eyes should never be sad. It was killing me to look at her like this.

"Okay." Dani took a deep breath. "We didn't exactly go to the movies tonight."

Even though a part of me figured that, since the stupid movie should still be showing, I steeled myself. "Where were you?"

She shifted a little under my gaze. "There was this party…"

A party? She was only fifteen. A couple of weeks away from sixteen, but still.

I opened my mouth, and Dani held up a hand. "You promised to hear me out."

Fucking kid was just like her mother. Calm as hell when I wanted to rage and storm around the room. But she was also right. I'd promised to listen.

"Okay. Go on."

"It was at one of the senior's houses. His parents are out of town."

She stopped, eying me, but I managed not to say anything. It was difficult, but I kept my word. There wasn't much I could say. How many parties had I gone to at her age? That didn't mean she wasn't going to be punished, severely, for lying to us.

"Anyway, when we got there, kids were drinking and smoking and stuff." Her eyes flashed to mine. "I didn't have anything, I swear."

I unclenched the fists I'd unknowingly been making and wiggled my fingers. I might have promised that I'd listen, but that didn't mean I wasn't going to ask one very vital question.

"Did Aro drink anything?"

She nodded slowly.

"Did you ride in the car with him after he'd been drinking?" If the answer was yes, she'd be lucky to go anywhere before she graduated from high school. And he wouldn't be driving anywhere in the near future because I'd be breaking his arms and legs.

"No!" Dani put her hand on my arm. "I swear, Daddy. Shelly was there. She wasn't drinking either. I got a ride home from her after…"

"After what?" I swear, my blood pressure was probably insanely high right now. I might have to call the team doctor to come take a look at me.

"Maybe I should just tell Mom."

I couldn't stop the pang of hurt that her words caused me, but I nodded slowly. "If you'd be more comfortable talking to your mom about this, I can go get her. But, baby, I'm kind of going out of my mind imagining all sorts of things, so could you please put your old man out of his misery and maybe let me in a little? Your mom will tell me anyway, and I'd like to hear it from you."

"It's just kind of embarrassing…talking to you about boys and stuff."

I didn't exactly want to know what "and stuff" meant, but I had to know that my daughter was okay.

"I get that. There's a reason why your mom had the sex talk with you, and it wasn't just for your benefit." I blew out a breath. "I admit that the thought of my baby girl growing up doesn't sit well with me, but I know that you are. And it may have escaped your notice, but I'm a guy."

She laughed a little at that. "I've noticed."

"Yeah, well, I know how guys think. So if you really want to know the guy perspective, I can give it to you." Even if it would fucking kill me.

Dani watched me for a few moments before nodding. "Okay. Well, we just hung around in the living room for a while. Aro had a few cups of beer. There was a keg," she added as an afterthought.

Fucking keg parties at fifteen. Kill me now. Though, again, what could I say? I'd thrown some at that age. Well, Emmett threw the parties, but I'd been there.

"Anyway, after a little while, Aro wanted some alone time with me, so he took me into one of the rooms."

Yeah, my fists and my jaw clenched. I nodded at her to continue. She needn't worry about me interrupting her story now. I was pretty much incapable of talking at the moment.

"We didn't…there wasn't…we didn't do much, Daddy. Just some kissing, really."

I gave her another tight nod. Fuck, parenting was harder than winning the damn Super Bowl.

"He, uh, wanted to do more, but I wasn't ready. We've only been together a few weeks." Direct green eyes met mine. "I haven't ever done that, and it's way too soon to think about it with him."

Thank Christ. She was still a virgin. Reed Girl had assured me of that, saying she'd know if she'd slept with Seth, but hearing it from my daughter's own lips was like a gift from above.

"You're right," I managed. "You shouldn't even think about sex with someone that early in a relationship."

Dani tilted her head, looking at me closely. "How old were you when you first did it?"

Fucking hell. This was a conversation I never wanted to have. Especially not with my teenage daughter. "How about you finish telling me what happened to make you cry, and then we'll talk about me?" Damn right I was putting it off, for as long as I could. Hopefully she'd forget she asked.

"Okay. He got mad, said something about me being a tease and that's what he gets for dating a kid, and left me sitting there."

Prick. Fucking asshole cocksucking motherfucking son of a bitch calling my daughter a tease? Fuck that noise. He needed an ass kicking.

"I just stayed there for a little bit. I thought maybe he'd calm down and we could hang out with everyone again. But when I went back in the living room, he was making out with this girl Vicky, right in front of me and everyone else."

Rage continued to flow through me at the thought of any guy having his lips on my daughter one minute and another girl the next. There was nobody better than my Dani. It was no doubt he'd traded way, way down, but I could only be grateful for that. Asshole didn't deserve her.

"I walked over to him and told him that I was glad he'd found someone more his speed but that maybe he could take me home before he-" She broke off, flushing a little.

I didn't know what she'd said, but I was damn proud that my baby girl hadn't run away crying. She'd confronted the asshole, just like her mother or I would have.

"Anyway, he told me he'd already offered me a ride and I wouldn't take it, so if I wanted one, to look elsewhere." She shrugged, as if that hadn't hurt her. I knew better. "I didn't really want to get in the car with him anyway, since he'd had a few drinks. Then he took Vicky back to the room he'd taken me to and closed the door."

The tears were back in her eyes. I pulled her onto my lap, sideways, and held her against me.

"I saw Shelly and asked if she'd bring me home." She sniffled against my neck. "I didn't cry until we left."

I smiled at the little bit of pride I heard in her voice. "Damn right, baby. You don't let that prick know that he got to you."

"How could he go from liking me one minute to being with Vicky the next? I mean, she's really pretty and older and stuff, but I really thought he liked me."

"First of all, you're more than really pretty. You're beautiful. And I have no doubt that you're more beautiful than this Vicky could ever hope to be."

She let out a little laugh. "You're biased."

"Damn right I am, but I have eyes as well. You, kiddo, got the best parts of me and your mother. And we're both gorgeous, so you do the math."

This time the laugh was a little louder. "Daddy!"

"It's true." I sat back a little so I could see that gorgeous face. "The thing with guys like Aro…with guys like I used to be before your mother came along, they aren't looking beyond what's on the outside. He didn't like you for who you were, baby. If he did, he could never have gone running to another girl the minute you said no. He just wanted a warm body, and princess, I hate to tell you this, but if you'd given him what he wanted, he probably would have gone on to another girl soon anyway. Some guys are all about the conquest, especially at that age."

"You were like that?" she asked softly.

Fuck. Me and my damn mouth. "Yes and no. I can't say that I remember ever taking one girl to a party and leaving with another when she said no." But it sounded like something I'd have done. If they'd said no. Which they hadn't.

"But, like most guys my age, I wasn't exactly looking for true love, either."

"You wanted sex."

Christ, hearing those words from my daughter's mouth made my own dry up. It just sounded so wrong.

"Yeah, I guess so." There was no guessing about it.

"When did you stop wanting that and start wanting more?"

I laughed. "I never stopped."

Dani rolled her eyes. "Obviously, or I wouldn't have a little sister on the way."

Fuck, but I loved my kid. Her sarcasm was pure me.

"But you know what I mean."

"When your mom came along. She was it for me from the moment I laid eyes on her, though I didn't know it at the time." There were some things you didn't tell your kid, even when you were being more honest with her than you'd ever been. "She played me even better than she plays the piano and had me not knowing which way was up or down or sideways. And she made me get to know her and fall for her before she let me…you know." Again. Dani didn't need to know about the first time, thank you very much.

"Mom was the first girl you ever loved."

"The only one, until you came along. Other than Grandma, of course."

Dani smiled at that. "I like that."

I kissed her temple. "Me, too."

"But she wasn't the first girl you had sex with."

Crap. "No."

"So how old were you?"

Triple crap. "I was around your age."

She tilted her head again. "Fifteen? Or sixteen?"

"Fifteen." Never before had I wanted to go back in time and not lose my virginity that early. "But you know what?"

"What?"

"I couldn't even tell you what that girl's name was or even how I knew her. It was just sex for me. And I can't forbid you to do something that I did at your age, even though I hate the thought of it. What I can tell you is that I want better than that for you. I don't want you, twenty or thirty years from now, to be sitting with your own daughter, telling her that you don't remember the name of the first boy you gave yourself to, that he was that insignificant to you."

I shook my head. "I know it's different for girls. You'd probably remember who he was. God knows, your mother remembers the most random things. But I don't want you to be just some girl to the boy who you share that with. Aro won't remember Vicky in a few weeks, let alone a few decades. You, baby, deserve to be remembered. Don't take that step until you're sure you will be."

Dani nodded. "Okay, Daddy."

"I couldn't have said it better myself."

We both looked over, seeing Reed Girl standing in the doorway.

Dani wiggled out of my arms, and I let her go to my wife's. Bella hugged her and kissed the top of her head.

"You heard?"

"I heard most of it." Reed Girl brushed her hands through Dani's long hair. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just a little sad that Aro turned out to be such a jerk."

"We all run into a few jerks before we find the right one." Reed Girl smiled at me. "But once you find him, you'll forget about all the jerks along the way."

"Did that happen for you when you met Daddy?"

I waited for her to joke that I was the biggest jerk of them all, but Reed Girl nodded.

"Yes. Your dad made every bad decision I'd made before him worth it because they all led me to him."

I grinned at her. All these years later, and she could still slay me with a few words and that sexy look on her face.

"Why don't you go soak in the tub, and I'll be up in a bit with some ice cream?"

"Okay." Dani let go of Reed Girl, but instead of heading upstairs, she came back over and kissed my cheek. "Thanks for listening to me, Daddy. I liked what you said, about being remembered."

"You should always be unforgettable, baby. You're a Cullen."

"Yeah, I am." She hugged me. "I love you."

I held her to me. "I love you, princess. More than anything."

She nodded. "I know."

"That doesn't mean you're not grounded for lying to us."

She released me, sighing. "I know. I'm sorry."

"And you should have called. I'm glad Shelly was there and hadn't been drinking, but what if she had been? We may have been mad at that you lied about where you were going, but we would have come to get you. Your safety is the most important thing to us, always. Please, don't ever take that risk again."

"I know. I won't."

"Okay. Good night, baby."

"Good night, Daddy."

Reed Girl waddled over to me after Dani went upstairs. "You were incredible with her."

I blew out a breath. "That was the hardest conversation we've ever had. That's why you took the sex talk. Pure torture."

Reed Girl let out a delighted laugh. "Indeed. But you nailed it, Champ."

I held her to me, resting my head against her belly. "It didn't feel like it at the time, but I'm glad you think so."

"I do. And I can only hope that our daughter is as lucky as I am one day."

I snorted. "I used to be just like that Aro asshole." What kind of fucking asshole name was Aro anyway?

"Maybe, but Dani knows what to look out for now. And she has a lot of me, and a lot of you, in her. She'll turn her jerk into a Champ, just like I did."

"Here's hoping."

A little kick under my head made me smile. "You're still not dating, Alexandra Cullen. Never."

Reed Girl laughed. "Good luck with that, Champ."

It wasn't going to be luck. It was going to be training. I turned and pressed a kiss to her belly.

"Boys are icky. We don't like them."

My wife let out a giggle. "Perhaps you're going to steer her toward being a lesbian."

For a second, I considered it, but no. Girls were even more complicated than boys were. At least I knew what boys wanted.

"Girls are icky, too. Self-love is where it's at."

Reed Girl laughed even harder. "You're going to know all about that for the next couple of months."

Yeah, I knew. "Don't remind me."

But when Alex kicked again, I smiled. It was totally worth it, even when they grew up.


	55. Chapter 55

**A/N Happy NFL Sunday! And Happy November (How is it November already? Lord). I hope you all had wonderful Halloween's full of treats instead of tricks! I got a few treats this weekend, from this awesome fandom, and it inspired me to post this outtake :)**

**I must thank you for voting this story #1 Completed Fic of September at Twi Fanfiction Recs! I've never been #1 there, so that was exciting! I also got quite a few noms in the Fandom awards, for myself, this story, Sideline, First, Poison, and Taste! Three nominations for Taste of Innocence! That meant a lot to me as I still hold that story close to my heart (right up there with this one) and getting love for the vamp stories is always exciting. So thank you! I'm giving you a chapter to thank you for all that support you still give me years later.  
**

**I'm definitely enjoying having some writing downtime, but things are gelling in my head while I relax and do outtakes. I'll be back to writing new stuff soon, but meanwhile I'm writing these guys when inspiration strikes. I've had lots of requests and several will make the cut. I know many of you want to get to know the boys a bit better, and the next outtake will give us a little more of baby Ethan. I'm still learning those two myself, so it'll take a little time. But I have at least 4 or so more to write, that I know.**

**This outtake is full of the little things that I didn't think I could write a whole chapter on, so I gave five snippets of a thousand or so words. These are some of the significant firsts in Dani's little world, through her daddy's eyes. Rights of passage stuff. I hope you have fun with it. Know that I love you, am grateful for you, and miss you all bunches. I'll be back soon! I hope things are awesome for all of you.  
**

GB Outtake The Firsts

"Okay, Dani's fed and sound asleep." Reed Girl came back into our room, talking quietly even though Dani was in her own bedroom. I totally got it, though. We were all about whispering when the baby was sleeping. Waking her up by accident was not fun.

"Good." I smirked at my wife, patting the bed next to me. I'd bribed Rainbow with some treats to get her out of the room when I heard Reed Girl putting Dani down.

She tilted her head and took me in, in all my now naked glory. "Someone's in a good mood."

"Of course I am. Our baby girl is clearly the smartest, most gorgeous, sweetest child on the planet, content in her bed while her mother, my sexy wife, finally has a few free minutes to let me take care of her."

Reed Girl grinned as she walked around the bed to my side to stand in front of me. "Really? You're going to take care of me? Because it looks an awful lot like you're ready for me to take care of you." She reached out and stroked my very hard, and yes, very ready cock.

I slipped my hands up under her T-shirt, sliding it up and off her body. "I was thinking maybe we'd take care of each other."

"I could get behind that."

That was all the go-ahead I needed. We'd been given the okay to resume sexual activity three weeks ago, and I'd stupidly thought we'd go back to the way we were pre-baby. Yeah, I was a moron. Reed Girl was tired-hell, so was I. Most nights we crashed early as hell because we knew we'd be back up every couple of hours. Our houseful of people had finally diminished to us and the nanny, who didn't do night duty yet. We planned on switching off once Dani was on the bottle. Soon. Thank fuck.

I pulled Reed Girl's underwear off, moving my hands back up her legs and sliding my thumb against her clit. I smiled as she let out a little moan and thrust against my hand.

"Oh yeah, you're ready for me, aren't you, baby?"

"So ready."

She climbed onto my lap and rubbed her pussy against my cock, getting it slick with her wetness. I gripped her hips and slid home, moaning with her when I felt how hot she was around me.

"Oh, God. Yes. It won't take long," Reed Girl murmured just as she started to ride me.

"Not this round, maybe." We had lost time to make up for.

She shuddered at that and sped up her movements. I flicked her clit with my thumb, and she moved faster. Oh yeah, it wouldn't be long before she was screaming my name and-

"Wahhhhhhhhhh." An earsplitting scream filled the room, and it wasn't the sound of Reed Girl coming.

Just like that, Reed Girl stilled her movements and jumped off my aching cock.

"She shouldn't be hungry. Maybe she needs to be changed again? Or maybe I didn't burp her enough? I-" She was in a panic, ready to run from the room.

I stilled her. "Baby, I got this. You just finished feeding her, so I'll check her diaper and get her back to sleep. You relax, and wait for me. We have some unfinished business to attend to."

I pulled on my boxers because it was way weird for my daughter to see me naked, sporting a hard-on. Fuck that noise. That was just not going to happen.

"Are you sure? I should probably-"

I gave her a quick kiss and headed out the door. "I got it." Dani and I needed to have a little discussion anyway.

I hurried into the bedroom, where my daughter was screaming like a banshee. Rainbow darted in right after me, no doubt wanting to see what all the hoopla was about.

"What's wrong, baby? Do you need a fresh diaper?"

I plucked Dani out of the crib, and she quieted down as I put her on the changing table. I got her pajamas off, after some wrangling with the stupid snaps. They did not make that shit for man's hands, let me tell you. Her diaper was clean, thank fuck, but I put on a fresh one anyway since I was already in there.

"Well, that wasn't it, so what? Do you have gas? I know how that is." I got a cloth and lifted her onto my shoulder, and her tiny face pressed into my neck as I patted and rubbed her back, walking around her room. "Let it out, princess."

But no burp came, so I finally sat down and rocked with her. "You just wanted company, didn't you? Well, while I'm content to spend ninety-five percent of my time with you, you could have given me just a few more minutes with your mother, you know?"

I shifted Dani down into the crook of my arms. She looked at me, wide-eyed, and put her little hand on my chest.

"You think because you look up at me with those pretty blue eyes that I won't punish you? You may be the cutest cockblocker known to man, but you're still a cockblocker. And, baby, Daddy has needs. You'll get it someday." Wait a minute. "No, you won't, because you're never letting a man touch you. But you'll understand, from TV and movies and such."

I'd gotten off track. Go figure. Rainbow hopped on the arm of the rocker and gave me a head-butt. Right. On with it.

"Anyway, as I was saying, Daddy and Mommy need to have alone time at night. It's an important part of being married. One of the best parts. And it's not nice to interrupt those few and far between moments. I don't ask for much, princess. Just an hour or so of uninterrupted adult time. You like being connected to Mommy, right?"

Dani didn't respond, but she did flex her little hand against me. I took that as agreement.

"Well, so does Daddy. We have a different kind of connection, although admittedly I do like connecting to the part of her that you like so much. They were mine first, just so you know."

And that was a dangerous track of thought, because the knowledge that my wife was naked in bed waiting for me would cause my cock to stir again, and it had only just settled down.

"You just had your connection time, and now it's mine. So you need to go to sleep and be a good girl for an hour or two. Preferably longer because, you know, I'd like to sleep a whole night through sometime in this century. You really should be able to tell time by now. It's not that hard."

Dani's eyes began to flutter, and I rocked a little faster. "That's it, baby girl. You go to sleep, and in a few hours you can have your mom back. Daddy's going to make her nice and relaxed, and Daddy's going to be in a much more patient, happier mood when you wake up next time. You have sweet dreams of kittens and rainbows."

I got a head-butt when I said Rainbow's name. I patted her head. "And you're not coming back in the bedroom with me either. You can stay here with Dani or go to your tower."

Rainbow shot me a disapproving look.

"Hey, you know the score. She's just a baby, but she'll learn, too." Hopefully quickly.

Dani was officially out, so I got up carefully and laid her down in her crib. "Sleep tight, princess. Not a peep for a few hours, yeah?" I smoothed her hair down and headed out, Rainbow at my heels.

I picked her up, ready to shut her out of the bedroom behind me, but when I stepped in the doorway, I paused. Reed Girl was sound asleep, curled up around the baby monitor, a smile on her face, likely having listened in on my conversation with Dani.

I sighed and let Rainbow down because clearly playtime was over. She hopped up on the bed, curling into her spot on my pillow. I went over to Reed Girl's side of the bed and smoothed her hair just like I had our daughter's before setting the monitor back on the nightstand.

"I hope your dreams are about sexier things than kittens and rainbows, Reed Girl."

I went over to my side and got into bed, flipping off the lamp as I did. Rainbow curled into me, purring away.

Parenthood. The ultimate cockblock. Oh, well. I was tired now anyway.

xoxoxoxoxox

"Come on, Dani. You can do it. I know you can."

She blurbled and blew a little spit bubble, grinning at me in triumph when it popped.

"Not quite what I was getting at, Princess."

Reed Girl wrapped her arms around me from behind.

"She'll say it when she's ready, Champ. You can't make her talk."

Bullshit. She was a Cullen. She'd been blessed from birth, and she could damn well say daddy. I swore she'd said it already, but Reed Girl claimed that the "Da" she uttered had just been baby babble. But I knew. She knew who I was, and she'd said Dad first. Just as it should be.

"If you would just admit she said it yesterday, then I wouldn't have to make her say it again today."

Reed Girl laughed and bit the back of my neck. Fucking hot.

"If that was the case, than her Muh's are clearly her saying Mommy."

I turned around and smirked at my wife. "She says Muh when she sees Rainbow, so I'm not sure how that correlates."

Reed Girl cocked an eyebrow at me. "Maybe that's her way of saying meow. Maybe Rainbow is her first actual word."

Huh. As if she agreed, Rainbow hopped into the crib. Dani laughed and grabbed at her. I was always scared when she did that, but Rainbow, being the smartest animal in the world, knew that the baby wasn't trying to hurt her and endured the grabbing and smacking with the patience of a saint.

"No way," I said, just as Dani let out a little, "Muh."

Reed Girl chuckled. "I was just kidding, but maybe I'm not far off."

Rainbow swished her tail and then turned a couple of circles before plopping down next to Dani. Reed Girl, of course, whipped out her phone and took more pictures. I was pretty sure the vast majority of our time as parents consisted of feeding, changing diapers, doing laundry, and taking pictures. Not necessarily in that order.

"Ignore your mother, baby. Just say daddy. Da and dee. The easiest two syllables in the entire world to say. You probably knew how to say it in the womb."

My wife shook her head. "Considering the fact that mama would be the same two syllables, I think I win."

Fuck. She had a point. But no way was I allowing that. "Dada would be the same. Say it, Dani. Dada."

"I'm not sure in what world you think that you can make an eight-month-old do anything, but kudos to your tenacity, Champ." Reed Girl patted me on the shoulder.

Okay, so I knew I was being a tad irrational, but the past couple of weeks, Dani had been imitating us more and more. I swear I saw her watching me and her cute little lips puckering up as if she was trying to say the words as well.

"Da be ca," my daughter said before making a raspberry.

"See? She was looking at me when she said da." I was convinced.

"Clearly. And she not only said dad but her first entire sentence."

Reed Girl's face was perfectly serious. She totally agreed. I won!

"What sentence?"

"Dad be crazy. She knows you already."

I grabbed her and started tickling as she shrieked and wiggled.

"Hey! I was agreeing with you!"

"Uh-huh." I picked her up and tossed her over my shoulder. "Daddy's taking Mommy to the bedroom to punish her for her insolence. That can be your second word, Dani. Insolence. It's a big one that should keep you busy for just long enough. You work on that while we're gone."

I smacked Reed Girl's ass as I carried her from the room. She smacked mine back, since she had a perfect shot at it. When we got in the bedroom, I tossed her on the bed, grinning at her red face and tumbled hair. She looked like she'd just had a bout of fantastic sex. Well, it was only apt, as she was about to.

"So I'm crazy, am I?"

My wife grinned and crooked her finger at me. "Crazy about me."

I couldn't deny it. "Yes, I am. You can have me committed for that one."

She reached up and touched my wedding ring. "Committed for life."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

I crawled on top of her, my hands immediately finding her perfect tits as my lips met hers. I stroked my hands down her body, reaching the bottom of her shirt. I started to lift it, to see that soft, perfect skin of her belly, when her hands stilled mine.

"What? I'm trying to work here while our daughter is content." God only knew when Dani would start yelling. She'd cockblocked us more than once already.

"Listen."

Nothing was more important than what we were about to do. As long as Dani wasn't screaming or choking or-

"Da da da. Da da. Da!" came clear as day through the monitor.

I was up in a flash, leaving my wife snickering behind me as I bolted from the room. I ran into Dani's, and she was sitting up, her little hands gripping the crib slats.

"Baby, did you call me? Did you want your daddy?"

Her little face lit up when she saw me. "Da! Da da!"

"That's right, baby. I'm Dada!" I reached into the crib and plucked her up, pulling her against my chest. "You said it!"

Reed Girl came in, phone in hand, recording the moment for posterity.

"Can you say it again, baby? Who's that? Who's holding you?"

"Da! Da da da!"

My daughter bounced in my arms, grinning at me, patting at my face. "Da!"

"That's right, princess. Daddy's here. I'll always come when you call me."

I swear I felt tears forming in my eyes. Once glance at Reed Girl showed me that I wasn't alone, though hers had spilled over. Our daughter just happily carried on, saying "Da" and patting me over and over, delighting in our excitement over her first word.

"It seems you won again, Champ. Daddy's her first word."

As I knew it would be. But the fact was, I'd won a long time ago.

"I won the day you crashed into me with your oboe, Reed Girl." I slipped my free arm around her, pulling her into my arms with our daughter.

"I'd say we both did." She snuggled into me while Dani babbled and patted us both. Yep, we had.

Xoxoxoxoxox

It was entirely too quiet. Reed Girl was out on some Cullen Foundation business, meeting with some potential music teachers. Dani had gone down for her nap a couple of hours ago and was due up any time. Rainbow and I were watching game film.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I've kind of gotten used to the chaos around here," I told Rainbow, stroking her fur as I watched the Skins' defensive schemes. "It's too quiet."

Dani, now that she was mobile, was everywhere and into everything when she was up. We kept eyes on her at all times, and we'd baby-proofed every fucking thing possible. We had those annoying damn gates on the stairs, which were a pain in the ass to open half the time. I usually just stepped over the damn things because they irritated me. All our cabinets and doors had those annoying plastic catches on them so she couldn't open them. Those pissed Rainbow off because she liked to hide in the kitchen cabinets sometimes, for reasons unknown.

Just as I was getting into the Skins' blitz packages, I heard my daughter over the baby monitor. I cocked an ear, listening to her babbling and laughing. Since she wasn't yelling yet, I decided to finish out the tape. I only had about fifteen more minutes left.

After about five minutes, my daughter's giggles were just too irresistible. I paused the DVD and made the climb up the stairs.

"Are you having a good time without Daddy, baby girl?" I asked as I headed into her bedroom. "What has you so-" I broke off as I took in the horror in front of me.

Holy fucking shit. Literally. My daughter was sitting in her crib, diaper off, smearing her shit all over the crib and laughing happily. She had it on her face, in her hair, every fucking where. And now I was a poet. Dr. Seuss never wrote a rhyme about that, had he?

"What did you do?" I asked.

Dani, finally noticing that she had an audience, stood up, right in the dirty fucking diaper, thank you very much, and started bouncing and dancing.

"Dada!" She opened up her little hand to wave at me, which might have been cute if it weren't covered in shit.

"What did you do?" I asked again.

Rainbow streaked in, started to leap into the crib, and did some sort of weird flop in the air, twisting herself away once she noticed the smell. She streaked right out of the room. I would have laughed if not for the fact that Dani's hand was moving toward her face.

"NO!" I yelled, lunging for her, grabbing her before she could get her fist into her mouth. God only knew if she'd done it before I got there, but she certainly wasn't getting any more on my watch.

It hit me that I was clutching my poop-covered daughter to myself, thus getting some on me as well. Fucking hell. I looked at her, then at the mess in her crib. Baby first. We needed to buy a new crib anyway. No way could I put my daughter that thing again, knowing what had been on it.

"Looks like you and I need to get cleaned up, kiddo."

She grinned and smacked me with her poopy hand, making me sigh.

"You're lucky you're so fucking cute."

"Fuck," she said, clearly and succinctly.

Fucking hell. "Don't you ever say that again. Not until you're older. Your mother's going to kill me. My mother's going to kill me. No bad words."

I carried her into my bathroom, where I stripped her out of her clothes and cleaned her hands off with her onesie thing. I threw it in the trash because no way was she wearing that again.

I rinsed her off in the sink while the shower warmed up. I also took off my shirt and tugged my shorts off. I was going to be showering in boxers for the first time ever, because I wasn't going to get naked in the shower with my baby. That was just weird.

"Come on, baby girl. Shower time."

She laughed and shrieked as the water hit her, holding her little hands into the spray, which was good. No poop remnants allowed. I tilted her head back into the water, getting it wet, and then got her baby shampoo and squirted some into my hand.

"Here we go, princess. Time to get clean and pretty again."

I couldn't be more grateful that Reed Girl had brought Dani into the shower with her often. She was pretty good about it, not whining when I washed her hair, then rinsed it out. I held her in the lukewarm spray, turning her this way and that, making sure all her cracks and crevices were clean.

"Dada!" Dani smacked her hands on my chest. "Mama!"

"Mama isn't here yet, or she'd be in here with you and I'd be having your room professionally fumigated already, along with having a new crib ordered."

Dani just laughed.

"You think it's funny, do you? Just because your Uncle Emmett calls you monkey doesn't mean you have to act like one. That's who plays with their poop. Monkeys. Not sweet babies."

She gave me a gummy grin. "Poop!"

"No poop! Bad poop. Poop is not paint, baby."

"Pate poop!"

"No pate with poop. That's gross. I'm going to have nightmares about that sight, baby girl."

I got the baby soap that Reed Girl used on her and squirted her all over. "You're going to be the cleanest kid ever once I'm done with you, little one."

The shower stall door swung open, and my wife stood in the doorway, grinning at us, phone at the ready. She snapped pictures as Dani and I finished up our shower.

"I'd ask what happened, but I stopped by Dani's room before I came in here. How?" Reed Girl shook her head.

I groaned and handed Dani over so Reed Girl could dry her off. I soaped my entire upper torso up.

"She was awake for all of five minutes before I went up to get her. She was giggling and in a good mood, so I thought I'd finish my game film, but I got curious."

I rinsed myself off and stepped out of the shower. Dani was dry and running around the room naked.

"We need to condemn her room."

Reed Girl laughed. "I hardly think we need to go that far. The bedding will all need to be changed. We'll clean the crib, it'll be fine."

"It will never be fine again."

"Fine! Daddy fine!"

I smirked and picked up my wiggly daughter. "Yes, Daddy is very fine."

"Fuck!" Dani said, making me wince and glance at my wife.

Reed Girl cocked an eyebrow at me.

"You saw the room! I couldn't help it! It just slipped out."

"Uh-huh. Just for that, you're on crib-cleaning duty."

Dani looked at me, smiling her big toothy grin. "Fuck." She seemed to relish saying her new word. She was definitely a Cullen.

"That's right, baby. Daddy is fucked." There was no denying it.

Reed Girl shook her head and took our daughter from me. "I'll put her in the playpen and then come up to help you." Her voice was pleasant but her eyes were shooting fire.

Dani giggled and let out another "fuck."

We were going to have a problem there, but one thing at a time. The joys of parenthood. Dani blew me a little kiss, one of her newest things, and I laughed. It was still totally worth it, shit and all.

Xoxoxoxoxox

"She's not ready."

My wife laughed. "You're not ready, you mean."

Maybe. "Neither of us is. She's only four."

"And it's only preschool. She'll be there for about four hours. We've talked about this."

Yes, we had. She thought Dani needed to be "socialized." I thought that was a bunch of crap. She had us. That was all she needed.

"It's not like she's going to learn anything major at preschool that we couldn't teach her ourselves." Colors, shapes, counting, reading…I had that shit down.

"Sharing, friendship, how to play with others, how to function without us," Reed Girl said, smirking at me.

"She knows how to share, she has Ethan for friendship and playing with others, and she most certainly doesn't need to know how to function without us."

Reed Girl slipped her arms around my waist. "I know you don't want that, but she's gotta go to school full time soon enough. We need to get her used to it. I'm most certainly not going to class with her, and neither are you."

I started to open my mouth, and she put a finger over my lips. "And we're not homeschooling the kids. I'd go insane."

I knew I was being unfair. But damn it, she was my baby. "I don't like it."

"I know. But just think. School means friends means playtime, which means Mommy and Daddy will have their own playtime."

Well, when she put it that way…damn it. "Okay, but if she hates it, I'm not making her stay."

"Okay, deal." Reed Girl gave me a smacking kiss. "Dani, are you ready?"

And my baby girl came around the corner, a little tiny pink backpack over her blue T-shirt. No! It was too soon.

"Ready, Mommy." She smiled up at me. She looked cute as hell, with her hair in little pigtails. "You coming to school too, Daddy?"

"Of course, baby. I wouldn't miss it." Damn right I wouldn't. My ass was going to be stationed outside the door in case she needed me. Kids were dicks. If any one of them upset her, I was going to take her away.

"Let's go!"

Reed Girl took one of Dani's hands, and I took the other. We got her to the car and strapped her in. Ethan was staying home with Dottie. The drive was far too short for my liking. I toyed with driving past the school and continuing until I hit the highway, but since Reed Girl was watching me knowingly, I stuck to the plan.

We pulled up outside the school. There were all manner of little kids running around in the playground area, yelling and having a fine time.

"See? She'll do great here."

What I saw was that one little boy pushed down a little girl and took the swing. I'd punt his ass right off the swings if he thought about doing that to my daughter.

"It's too loud and busy. She needs a quieter learning environment."

"You just said she wasn't here to learn anything," my wife reminded me, using my words against me as usual. She was far too damn crafty at that shit.

"Well, she certainly won't now."

Reed Girl laughed as she helped Dani out of her car seat. "Come on. Let's go meet your teacher. Are you excited?"

"Yeah!"

I sighed, knowing that arguing was pointless. My daughter didn't have a shy bone in her body and marched right into the classroom without holding our hands or anything. It had begun. My baby was growing away from me.

"Hello. My name is Ms. Flowers."

The teacher was around our age, which bothered me for some reason. She was too young.

"I'm Dani Cullen! I'm four!" my daughter announced proudly.

Even though I didn't like that we were here, I couldn't help but smile at Dani's confidence.

"How nice to meet you, Dani. We're excited to have you in class."

I just bet she was. My kid was miles smarter than the little boy who was currently driving a fire truck into the wall over and over.

"Mr. and Mrs. Cullen. Thanks for bringing her in. Dani, would you like to go meet some of your classmates?"

"Yes," my daughter said definitively.

"You have fun, Dani. Mommy and Daddy will be back to get you soon."

I braced myself for Dani to realize that we weren't staying with her and start crying. Her tears killed me like nothing else.

"Okay. Bye, Mommy. Bye, Daddy." And she walked off without a second glance, holding hands with her teacher and saying hello to everyone the teacher introduced her to.

"Let's go," Reed Girl murmured, pulling me from the room.

"But…she didn't even notice we were leaving."

"That's because she's excited to go to school and meet some new friends."

Those should be good things, but I didn't like them at all. I pulled free of Reed Girl's grasp and headed toward the window.

"Edward! What are you doing?"

"You didn't really think I was going to leave her without making sure she's really okay, did you?" I demanded, not looking away from the glass.

"You look like some perverted creep right now," my wife muttered.

I ignored her. This was our daughter I was checking on. There was nothing creepy or perverted about it. Dani was seated in a little circle with the other kids. The teacher was holding up colored cards, and the kids were telling her what colors they were, I assumed. Damn my inability to read lips.

Dani answered and clapped her hands when the teacher no doubt told her that she was right. Of course she was. She knew her damn colors. She didn't need preschool.

"See? She's fine. Let's go."

"But what if-"

"If anything happens, they'll call us. But she'll be fine, Edward. She's having fun."

From the smile on Dani's face, that was true. I reluctantly pulled myself away from the window and headed toward the car. When we got inside, Reed Girl put a hand on my arm.

"Just because she's going to school doesn't mean she doesn't need us anymore."

I snorted. "Ha! She walked away without a backwards glance. She's already ready to leave us. She'll be going to college in no time."

Reed Girl laughed at my ass. "She's not quite ready for dorm life yet, but we'll make sure that she is when the time comes."

Dorm life, my ass. "She'll be living in a secure building that I selected, by herself." With video streaming cameras that assured that she remained alone in said building.

"Oh, that would be a fantastic college experience for her. How would you have reacted if your parents tried to pull that on you?"

Not favorably, but this was my daughter, not me. I could be a hypocrite when it came to my kid. That was allowed. My parents had gotten it wrong. I was going to get it right.

"We'll see," I told her as I started the car.

She shook her head. "Baby steps," she muttered under her breath.

Somehow I knew she wasn't referring to Dani when she said it. She was talking about me. I didn't care.

"How is it not killing you to leave her right now?" I demanded, unable to drive away.

Reed Girl gave a little choking laugh. "You think it's not? The only reason I'm not crying like a baby right now is because someone needs to keep you in line. We're doing this for her, not for us. If it were up to me, she'd be home with Ethan. But she needs this. She needs kids her own age, people teaching her other than us, and her world needs to expand beyond her family."

Christ. I knew she was right. "You really want to cry?" I asked.

"Of course. She's our baby."

I sighed and pulled her into my arms. "Let it out, baby." Give me something else to focus on.

Reed Girl laughed through her tears. "Don't think I don't know that you're encouraging me to cry now so we can stay here longer."

Well, sort of. "Yes and no."

"More yes than no." She sniffled and wiped her eyes. "Come on. Let's go smother Ethan with attention until we can get our girl back."

That was a good plan. "And maybe we could work in some of that playtime you mentioned earlier."

Reed Girl chuckled. "Maybe. If you take me home now and stop acting like a stalker."

"I learned it from you."

That got me another laugh and a smack to my shoulder. "Ass."

"But I'm your ass."

"Damn right you are. Because I'm the best stalker. Now let's go home."

As hard as it was, I let her get back to her seat and buckle in, then pulled out of the driveway. It was only for a few hours. I'd have her back soon.

Xoxoxoxoxox

What was taking so long? I was on preschool pickup duty while Reed Girl taught music at one of the local elementary schools. Dani was taking her sweet time getting out today. While she loved school, she was always happy to come home to us and share stories about her day. Thank God she still wanted to be with us. My relief over that hadn't gone away even months later.

The teacher came out holding Dani's hand. I took a step forward to retrieve her when I noticed that her face was streaked with tears. My heart stopped as I ran over to them.

"What's the matter? Is she okay? Are you hurt, baby?" I demanded, reaching for her gently, looking everywhere for signs of injury.

"She's fine," Ms. Flowers assured me.

Fuck that noise. My kid was crying. That was not fine.

"What's wrong, baby?"

Dani looked up at me, her face completely heartbreakingly sad.

"Cindy said she didn't want to be my friend anymore."

Fucking hell. Where was my wife when I needed her? Girl drama was not my forte. I'd avoided that shit all my damn life and even married a woman who was damn near drama free. As it should be.

I took her into my arms and let her cry on my shoulder. "Why would anyone not want to be your friend, princess? You're the best." This Cindy girl was obviously a moron.

"Because I got the gold star today and she wanted it." She sobbed into my shoulder, and it took me a few moments to understand what she'd said.

Of course she got the gold star. She deserved it.

"Cindy had some listening issues today and only got a green star. I guess she blamed Dani," the teacher explained, rubbing Dani's back.

I pulled back and took her little face in my hands. "Baby girl, it's not your fault Cindy didn't get her gold star. She's just jealous and taking it out on you. Sometimes friends do that."

"But she said she's not my friend." My daughter sniffled, her eyes welling with more tears before spilling over.

I wiped at them frantically. I fucking hated when she cried. "Baby, she probably didn't mean it. Sometimes when I'm mad, I say things I don't mean to my friends, and the next day everything is fine again, after I say sorry." And that Cindy chick better apologize for making my baby cry.

"And if she still won't be your friend for something silly like that, then she doesn't deserve to be your friend at all. Because you're a fantastic friend."

"I am?" she asked, her little lip poking out in a cute little pout, trembling a little as she fought not to cry.

"You're the best friend a person could ever have! You're kind and you're smart, and you're sweet, and you share all your toys and things. Anyone who doesn't want you for a friend is missing out."

"She's missing out?" Dani asked.

"Yes, baby. It would be her loss. I bet you have lots of friends in class."

"I do. There's Taylor and Missy and Stephanie and Jonathan-"

I grimaced when she threw a boy's name in there. "Exactly. You just remember you have plenty of friends, and if Cindy doesn't say sorry, you play with them."

"Okay, Daddy. Can we go get a hot chocolate?"

I smiled. The storm had passed. "We can, baby. That sounds good to me."

I loaded her into the car and slid into the driver's seat. "I'm proud of you for your gold star, baby. Never feel bad for doing something right." No bratty little kid was going to take away her achievements. I needed to ask Reed Girl who this Cindy kid was. She wasn't worthy of my Dani's friendship.

"Okay." And she smiled at me in the rearview mirror. There was the smile I loved.

"Here we go! One hot chocolate on the way for my gold-star girl."

Girl crisis number one averted. God knew how many to go.


	56. Chapter 56

A/N Happy NFL Sunday! I hadn't planned on posting today, but when I saw on Twitter and Facebook that this story won Favorite LMFAO Fic in the Fandom Awards, I just had to, to thank you for your continued love and support. I have several outtakes written, and I'll roll them out soon, I promise. I also just wrote the chapter to my new short story fic, that I'm going to pre-write before posting. So I am writing, just storing it up :)

This is just a fun glimpse at our favorite little family, and a little more of little Ethan. I have written an outtake for both boys as well. So more to come. Thank you, again, for voting for this story, and for me for Favorite Ellen. You continually blow me away with your support. I love you all!

GB Outtake 3

The tinkling notes of the piano carried through the open windows as I ran up to the door, and I couldn't help but smile. It wasn't the practiced notes of Reed Girl, so it had to be Dani, though it sounded like she'd gotten even better since the other night, when she'd treated me to her umpteenth concert. There was nothing cuter in the world than seeing my princess banging away on those piano keys, with a bright grin on her face and little pigtails swinging as she moved her head and sang along with her made up songs. Just about every one of them starred me as the hero, or prince, or quarterback. Yeah, it was fucking awesome.

I hurried inside, wiping the sweat off my forehead as I made my way into the living room.

"Don't tell me that my princess put on a show without me-" I began, breaking off when I saw Dani down on the floor, playing with her football action figures. I grinned when I saw that she had them in perfect alignment. I'd had several discussions with her when she was three about the illegal formations she was rocking. Reed Girl laughed her ass off every time I showed her the correct way to line up her figurines.

"It's not me, Daddy," Dani said, and I swear I could almost hear the unspoken "Duh," in her tone. When did almost-five year olds learn sarcasm? Because I swear my kid already had. No surprise, though. Of course she was advanced.

"Daddy!"

I looked over to where Ethan sat, perched on my wife's lap in front of the piano. I grinned and headed over to them.

"What are you up to, Little Champ? Is Mommy showing you how to play?"

He shook his head, giving me a beaming smile. "I show huh!"

I raised an eyebrow at Reed Girl. "That was him, playing just now?"

She grinned and pursed her lips at me, so I leaned over and gave her a quick peck, being careful not to press my sweaty body against her. I mean, I wanted to, but the kids were right there, and I'd rather get her sweaty in more interesting ways later.

"That was him. Wasn't he fantastic?" The smile on her face was electric.

"Yeah, I mean, I could tell it wasn't a song, per se, but it all sounded good."

Reed Girl nodded enthusiastically. "I know! He has an amazing ear. Watch this."

She proceeded to play, and Ethan watched her fingers intently. She suddenly hit a very loud, clashing note, and Ethan's little face screwed up. It was cute as hell. He looked so much like his mother in that moment; I wished I had my phone on me so I could take a picture.

"No, Mommy! Not that. This." And he leaned over and hit a note that sounded a lot better.

"Yes, baby, just like that. Isn't he great?" Reed Girl planted a big kiss on Ethan's head, making him giggle and squirm.

"He's fantastic. Are you going to be a piano man when you grow up?" I asked.

"Yes. And a leesman."

I laughed as I plucked him off Reed Girl's lap and tossed him gently in the air. He shrieked with joy.

"You're going to be finest piano playing policeman in the world, Ethan. Always strive to be the best, like Daddy and Mommy."

"The best!" he yelled, throwing his little arms around my neck.

I buried my face in the curve of his neck, making nomming noises as he laughed and smacked at my head.

"No eat me, Daddy!"

"But you taste so good!" I grunted when Dani ran up and crashed into my leg, trying to tackle me. "You, too, princess." I scooped her up and alternated between her neck and his, making them both yell and laugh and squirm.

"I'm quite certain that none of you taste good, now that your daddy has gotten you all sweaty. You all need to take baths now," Reed Girl said, shaking her head. Her eyes were twinkling with laughter, though, so I knew she wasn't annoyed. It was almost bedtime anyway.

The kids both made noises about taking baths, even though once they got in there, they fucking loved to play with bubbles and toys. Still…

"I don't think it's fair that we have to clean up and Mommy doesn't," I whispered to them but loudly enough for Reed Girl to hear.

Her eyes got really wide, and she shook her head, backing up a step as I put both kids on the ground. "Don't you dare," she murmured at the same time that I yelled, "Get her!"

Reed Girl turned to run, but Dani's tackle was picture perfect as she launched at her mother's legs. Reed Girl started to fall, but thanks to my incredible reflexes, I caught her before she could hit the ground.

"Thanks a lot, Champ," she muttered sarcastically. "I can't believe you sicced them on me."

"Hey, you're the one who uttered the dreaded B word," I reminded her as I lifted her in my arms.

"Edward! Put me down!" But it was way too late, because I was already rubbing my sweaty face against her.

"Now Mommy needs a bath, too," I told my children, who were laughing and running around the two of us.

"You're gonna pay for that," she told me, quietly enough that the kids wouldn't hear.

"I look forward to it." I kissed her hard before setting her down. "I'll bathe the kids, since it's kind of my fault that they're dirty."

"Kind of?" she asked with a laugh.

"Okay, totally." I kissed her again. "But in the name of conserving water, I think you should wait until I'm done to clean up."

Her brown eyes sparkled. "Oh yeah, you're all about the environment, Cullen."

"I am indeed, Mrs. Cullen."

Her smirk got even more pronounced, so she wasn't buying my line of bullshit.

"Okay, how about this, then? I have to clean them up because I got them dirty, right?"

She nodded. "Right."

"Well, I got you dirty as well, so I have to clean you up. It's only right. We clean up our messes, don't we, kids?"

"Yes, Daddy! Mommy says we has to," Dani agreed. She was a fantastic kid, unknowingly helping her Daddy get her Mommy naked.

"See? You say so yourself, Mommy."

Reed Girl laughed as she scooped Ethan up to hand to me. "I guess that's true. Okay, Daddy. You get the kids clean, and then you can do me."

I grinned at that. "I can't wait to do you, baby."

"I know." She grinned and gave me a quick kiss. "So get the kids taken care of, because I'm feeling very dirty."

Fuck yes. I loved my life. I picked Dani up and headed with both my kids toward the stairs. Bath time rocked, especially with Reed Girl.

Xoxoxoxoxox

"Are you sure you can handle it?" Reed Girl asked, eying me suspiciously.

I didn't know whether I should be offended or not. Of course I could manage. I was Edward Fucking Cullen.

"Baby, we agreed that this year, during my offseason, I'd take over here and you'd join the symphony. I've been alone with the kids before."

"Yes, but I've never left you overnight alone with them, let alone for a month." She bit her lip, looking very conflicted.

I got it. I didn't like leaving for away games, and I was only gone for a few days at most at a time. This was going to be a month-long tour with the New Jersey Symphony. She was finally getting to live her dream, if only for a month. I was damned and determined that she was going to do it.

"First of all, my mother is living like two streets over. You know damn well that she'll be here daily while you're gone, if she doesn't just move in."

I wouldn't put it past her. My parents had finally bitten the bullet and bought a second house up here, of course almost right next door. When they'd heard about Reed Girl's plans, my mom had been quick to volunteer to help out however we needed. Now that Dottie had retired, I would probably be glad for the assistance.

"I know, but-"

I took her beautiful face in my hands. "Second of all, this is your dream, baby. You put it off for five years while I lived mine. Dani's almost five. Ethan's almost three, off the tit, out of diapers. It's your turn. We agreed that the offseason was your turn to shine." I kissed her. "I can't wait to see you do just that."

Her brown eyes filled with tears. "I just don't know if I can stand to be away from you three for that long."

That I definitely understood. "You know we're going to come see you play, baby. I'll get tickets for one of the cities each week, put the kids in the car, and we'll drive to you. I couldn't stand a month away from you either."

She put her arms around me and burrowed into my chest. I stroked her soft hair and held her until I felt her relax against me.

"I'm nervous," she admitted quietly.

There it was. I knew she hated to leave us, but she knew we'd be where she was. The three of us-well, four with Rainbow-would live out of hotels for the month if necessary.

"There's nothing to be nervous about, Reed Girl. You're an incredible musician. You've been practicing every day for months. They took you back with open arms after your tryout. They want you, baby. You're that good."

"I know." She looked up at me. "It's just been a long time since I've played publicly."

"Other than all those lessons you've given at schools and privately over the last five years?"

She laughed. "Yes, other than those."

"You've got this," I repeated, touching her cheek. "You're a Cullen, baby. We shine brightest on the big stage, and you're finally getting on that stage. I can't fucking wait to see you up there. My wife, lead oboe in the New Jersey Orchestra."

Reed Girl snorted out a laugh. "Lead chair my ass. I'm maybe third, if that."

"Not to me. And you'd be first if you were with them more than a few months out of the year."

Her soft smile flashed before she gave me a hot kiss. "Thank you for your faith in me."

"Always, Reed Girl. I'm your number-one fan."

She grinned. "I know."

"Mommy! Moooooooooooom!"

We broke apart at Dani's yells from downstairs. Ethan padded into the room and wrapped his arms around her leg.

"Mama, up!"

She bent down and boosted him onto her hip. The way he looked at her, like she'd hung the moon, always made me smile. Ethan was a mama's boy through and through. I couldn't blame him. I adored his mother myself.

"Maybe it's a three-way tie for first," I allowed, making her chuckle.

"With the three of you in my corner, how could I fail?" she asked, kissing Ethan's soft brown hair, which was the exact shade of hers.

"You could never fail, baby. You're a Cullen." I grinned at my son. "What do Cullens do?"

"Win!" he yelled, throwing up his little arms in the touchdown motion.

"You got it, bud." I ruffled his hair. "Your son has spoken."

Reed Girl chuckled. "Indeed he has. I'm going to do this."

"You're going to rock it," I assured her.

Xoxoxoxoxo

"Are you going to behave yourself, Little Man?" I asked as I smoothed down the sleeves of his shirt.

Fuck, but he was adorable in his little suit. Reed Girl was going to lose her shit when she saw him.

"Yes, Daddy." He seemed fascinated by my tie, reaching out to touch it. I hoped he was equally fascinated with his own, as I looped it around his neck and quickly tied it before he could protest.

"There! Just like Daddy." I turned Ethan to face the mirror, letting him take in the matching blue tie.

His brown eyes got very wide, and he said, "Oooh," as he touched his.

"You look very handsome, buddy. Mommy is going to love it."

"Mama?" he asked, looking around. "Where's Mama?"

I had to smile. He'd been asking that all week, since Reed Girl had hit the road with the symphony. I'd been worried about him throwing a tantrum or two, but he'd mostly been quiet when I told him she was working and he'd see her soon. Fortunately they were back in Newark this weekend, so no hotel was necessary. We were heading over to the Newark Symphony Hall from our house.

"Mama is at her concert. We're going to see her play, and then guess what?"

He looked at me with her eyes. "What?"

"We're going to bring her home with us! Mommy will be back in her own bed tonight." Our bed. Thank fuck. It had been less than a week, and I missed her terribly.

He bounced a little on the counter where he stood, and I made sure to hold his waist so he wouldn't fall. "Yay! Mama home!"

"Yes, thank God. Mommy will be home."

"Sleeps with you?" he asked, smiling at me.

I bit back a groan. Both he and Dani had decided that since Mommy wasn't there, they were going to sleep with Rainbow and me. I didn't have the heart to turn them away, and frankly, I didn't like sleeping alone anymore. Shit had sure changed since college, for the better.

"We'll see, buddy. Mommy needs her rest." And Daddy needed Mommy. Badly.

I slipped his jacket on and grinned at him. "You look studly, Little Man."

"What's steady?" he asked, making me laugh.

"Studly. It means you look handsome, like Daddy."

"Like Daddy!" he shouted.

I smoothed down his hair, which did tend to stick up like mine from time to time. "Just like Daddy."

"Edward, we're ready."

I turned at my mom's voice and watched her face light up at the sight of Ethan.

"Aren't you just the handsomest little boy in the world?" she asked, coming forward to scoop him up off the counter and smother his face with kisses.

"Nana! Daddy said I like him!"

"You are handsome just like him." Mom reached out and smoothed down my tie.

I smirked. Some things never changed.

"Your daughter looks adorable," Mom assured me. I'd left getting Dani ready to her because dressing her was more of a pain in the ass than it needed to be. She had so many fucking clothes and getting her to decide which dress she should wear was always a chore. Plus, if I did get her in one, it would totally get vetoed for something else by the women in the house. Fuck that noise.

"Thanks for getting her ready, Mom." I fucked with my hair a little before turning away from the mirror. "Is everyone good to go?"

I'd bought out an entire balcony section at the hall because I wanted the kids to have a little space to move around if they wanted; plus there were a fuckton of us going. My parents, Sammy, Colin, Brady, Sarah, Paul, and Leah were going, with Emily and Kim staying home with their little ones. I'd invited some of the other guys on the team to show if they wanted.

"Is Chelsea here?"

My mom nodded. "Yeah, she's with Dani. Her mom dropped her off a bit ago. She looks beautiful. She's growing up."

I groaned at that reminder. Chelsea was fifteen now. Where had the time gone? She'd be driving soon, and boys would be coming around. I wasn't ready for that shit.

I took Ethan's hand, and we headed down the hallway to his sister's room. I smiled when I saw that Dani was wearing a green dress that matched her eyes. Her hair was done in some fancy-ass braid. She was twirling for Chelsea, who was giving her compliments. Chels looked far too grown up, wearing a form-fitting red dress, her hair a mass of curls spilling down her back.

"Hey, pretty girls." I grinned as they both turned to us.

"Hi, Daddy! Do you like my dress?"

"Yes, baby. It's very pretty." I swear, Dani batted her eyes before turning to look at herself in the mirror again. I was so not ready for this shit.

"You look beautiful, too, Chels."

"Thanks, Edward. Thanks for bringing me. I'm excited to see Bella play." She came over to take Ethan into her arms. He snuggled into her. "Hi, cutie."

"Hi! Hands like Daddy."

I snickered. "Handsome," I clarified at the confused look on her face.

"Oh, well, yes you are! Such a handsome boy."

He smiled before burrowing into her shoulder. The kid loved to cuddle, especially with females. He may be the spitting image of his mother and have her musical bent, but he took after me when it came to charming the ladies.

"Are you ready to go, girls?"

"Daddy, can I wear my bracelet?"

I smiled. "Sure, baby." I got her charm bracelet out of her little jewelry box and attached it to her wrist. Along with her Daddy's Girl charm, she now had a cat to represent Rainbow, my number because she wanted to root for me, and a number-one-sister charm to celebrate becoming a big sister.

"Do you want to wear your necklace, too?" I asked. We'd gotten her a blue/green butterfly necklace that would go well with the dress.

She nodded, and I got it on her, eventually. Fucking tiny clasps. "There. You're perfect. Ready to be Daddy's date?"

"What's a date?" Ethan asked.

"It's when a guy asks a girl to go out somewhere with him, to dinner or a movie or something," Chelsea answered, sounding almost wistful.

Shit. I so wasn't ready for her to date. She was too young.

"Yeah, that about sums it up, though the girl can ask, too. Not Dani, though, unless she's asking me."

My mom laughed behind me. "Yeah, good luck with that."

"Hush. So, Dani, will you be my date tonight?"

"Yes, Daddy." She grinned up at me. So fucking cute.

"You be mine, CC."

We all turned to where Ethan, hands on Chelsea's face, more or less ordered her to be his date. He had had a hard time mastering her name, so she was CC to him.

Chelsea grinned at him. "Sure, Ethan. I'd love to be your date."

I thought about telling Ethan he should ask, not tell, but hell, it worked. I'd done my share of telling back in the day after all. Chip off the old block.

"Well, now that that's settled, how about we head out? We need to go see Mommy play."

"Yay!" Dani cheered.

I took her hand, and Chelsea carried her date out of the bedroom. Showtime.

Xoxoxoxoxo

"Where's Mama?"

I smiled as Ethan demanded to know this immediately when we stepped into the theater.

"She's going to be over there." I pointed at the section that Reed Girl had told me she'd be in. I'd picked our seats based on the ability to actually be able to see her, although once all the bodies were out there, who knew if we'd be able to pick her out? I hoped so, though.

The place was impressive. Gleaming wood and red fabric was everywhere, and there was a fancy-ass chandelier over the stage. The chairs for the musicians were already set up.

"This is some place, man." Sammy clapped me on the back as he sat behind me. "Bella's really something, huh?"

I smirked. "She's incredible."

I was thrilled beyond words that Reed Girl was finally getting her moment. She'd never for one second regretted that Dani had come along and delayed her opportunity to perform in the orchestra, but I knew what it meant to her to get a chance now. Fuck, it meant the world to both of us.

Musicians started appearing on the stage, all dressed in black. I leaned forward and had to bite back a yell when I saw my wife. This wasn't the place to shout out, but damned if I didn't want to. She was fucking gorgeous in her long black dress, her hair done up a lot like Dani's.

"Look, buddy, there's Mommy."

"Where?" Ethan shouted, practically leaning over the railing to see her.

I lifted him up and pointed her out. "Over there. You can't yell, Ethan. You've got to be quiet here."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because this is an important show and nobody yells here. You listen to the music and appreciate it."

"Why?" he asked again.

Sammy snorted behind me. "God, I love this age."

Yeah, of course he did. He was just getting out of it with his daughter.

"Because Daddy said so."

"Hey, Ethan, I brought Where the Wild Things Are. Do you want to read?"

I smiled over at Chelsea when he abandoned me and climbed onto her lap. "Thanks, kid."

"No problem."

I watched as she read to both Ethan and Dani, who cuddled into her side. She was phenomenal with them, patient and protective, just like she'd been with her brother. It made me sad that she didn't have her own siblings to hang out with, but her parents just hadn't had the heart to have another after Danny died. They'd gone through a pretty rough patch when we weren't sure if they'd stay together, but they'd pulled through. And Chelsea had us. We included her in all of our family gatherings and trips.

I kept one eye on my kids as I chatted with the guys about our offseason workouts. I was keeping those bastards in shape this year. We had another Super Bowl to win.

Eventually the instruments started up as the orchestra tuned their instruments or whatever. The lights flickered, and it was time. Chelsea put away the book, and Ethan came back over to me.

"Mama?" he asked.

"Right there, buddy." I pointed her out again. "She's going to play for us."

"That not piano."

"Nope, she's going to play her oboe here. You want to learn that instrument next?"

"Like Mama?" he asked, big brown eyes pleading with me.

"Yes, little man. Just like Mama."

"Okay."

I smiled and brushed my fingers through his soft hair. The music started up, and his mouth fell open. He scooted all the way to the edge of my knees, trying to get as close as he could to the railing. I moved closer, boosting him up so he could see.

Ethan was a typical toddler, rarely still for long and having a short attention span, but damned if he didn't stay perfectly still for the entire show, taking everything in with wide eyes and the occasional "ooh" sound when the music swelled.

"Did you like that, buddy?" I asked when the music ended. He was still sitting on me, still as day.

"I do dat, Daddy. I play moosic."

I'd long imagined my son following my footsteps to the NFL, but it seemed like he was going to forge a path much like his mother's. I grinned at him.

"You will, Little Champ. You'll be up there one day."

"With Mama?"

I laughed. "Yes, baby. With Mama. And Daddy will be in the front row, cheering you on."

"But quiet. Preciate the moosic."

"Of course. I'll always preciate your moosic. Now, let's go find Mama and tell her that you're going to join her on that stage one day."

"Yes!" He nodded emphatically. "Find Mama, Dada!"

"I'll always find your Mama, Ethan." Always.


	57. Chapter 57

**A/N This is just a bit of silliness from me to you to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a fantastic New Year! I'll be back soon with another outtake, but this goes with the season and is inspired by my own torture of my cats. I hope you have fun with it! Merry Christmas! I love you all!**

A Rainbow Christmas

What was this indignity? It was entirely unacceptable.

"Pretty, Rainbow!"

Yes, I was quite pretty. Gorgeous, even. And I didn't need anything added to my natural beauty.

"What are you up to, baby girl?"

 _Daddy_ came up and grinned at us. Finally. _He_ would save me.

"I'm making Rainbow pretty."

Humph. I already was. Everybody knew it. I waited patiently for _Daddy_ to correct Dani.

"She's very pretty now, baby. You did a good job!"

Now? What was that nonsense? I was _always_ pretty. Did _Daddy_ need his eyes checked? Maybe we should call the people doctor. Not my doctor. He was evil. And I didn't need any shots. No way, no how.

"Reed Girl! Check this out!"

Well, if _Daddy_ wasn't going to save me, then _Mommy_ would. Surely she would understand that I was perfection on my own and didn't need anything on me.

"Oh my God! Isn't that the cutest thing?"

Or maybe not. Why was everyone betraying me? Did I have to do everything myself? Fine. I was smart enough to get out of this on my own. Now how did I go about it?

I angled my head to the left, which tilted the abomination on my head, but it didn't dislodge. Rude. So I tried the right. It just went back to where it had been. Okay, then. This was more difficult than I expected, but nothing could keep Rainbow down. I would conquer this challenge. Rest assured.

 _Mom_ started with the flashy things again, cooing and laughing along with Dani and _Daddy._ Betrayal. Plain and simple. They were enjoying my pain. They would have to pay for that later. There were plenty of things they loved that could make their way into my special stash. Oh yes, they'd be losing things tonight, if I could ever get this infernal thing off my head.

"Oh, this would be cute. Add this!"

 _Mom_ plunked a ribbon-the one I'd been batting around before I'd been made to suffer this indignity-onto my back and started flashing the light at me again.

"It's so cute! She's a present! Sitting in front of the tree in ribbons and that Santa hat."

Hat? That's what was on me? I didn't know what that was, probably because I shouldn't have one on me. It itched. And it had strings, which I wanted to play with, but I couldn't because it was under my chin.

I lifted my paw, trying my darndest to get the thing off my face.

"I took it off my Santa doll," Dani said, clapping her hands.

Whatever the the Santa doll was was going to pay. It would be no more by the end of this day. Mark my words.

"What a good idea!"

No, it wasn't a good idea. It wasn't good at all. I raised my face and looked right at _Daddy. He_ understood me in a way that they didn't. _He_ would fix this.

"Meow!" I yelled in my angriest voice.

 _Daddy's_ eyes widened. "Uh-oh. She's p-i-s-s-e-d."

 _Mommy_ laughed. Clearly she was underestimating my rage.

"She can't be that mad. She actually sat there and let Dani put it on her."

That had been my foolish mistake. I tried to be gentle with _the baby_. _Daddy_ told me all the time that I had to be good. And I was. I was the best. And yet I paid for being good by being forced to wear an itchy awful hat on my head. What was the point of being good if I was going to be treated this way?

"Bo!"

Hmm, perhaps the boy would help me. He was younger, more moldable than Dani was. That's right, boy. Pet Rainbow. Pet my head and knock the hat off. You can do it. I know you can.

"Pretty Bo!"

Yes, we'd established that I was pretty. The hat was not the reason, though. I just was. _Mommy_ said so from day one.

Ethan patted my head, and the hat started to tilt. That's right! That's right, Ethan. You're officially my favorite now.

"Be careful, sweetie. You're going to knock Rainbow's hat off."

But that was the goal! Damn you, woman. Free me! I demand it!

I let out my most imperious meow. They all just laughed at me. This would not be tolerated!

"Better take the pictures while you can, Reed Girl. Rainbow's about to blow."

If _he_ could see that, why wasn't _he_ doing anything about it? _Daddy_ and I were a team. _He_ always said so.

"I know! She just looks so adorable."

That had been established long ago. The flashes continued, and then a light shone on me.

"I'm videoing it."

Whatever that meant. It was clear that my entire family was enjoying my suffering and that I'd have to free myself. First things first. The ribbon wasn't tied on me; it was just sitting on my back. I could take care of that easy enough.

I turned to the left again, trying to catch it, but that didn't work. Nor did the right. So I was forced to go in circles, appearing to chase my tail like those simpletons that Chelsea brought over to visit every now and then. They were so going to pay for this indignity.

And what did my family do as I tried fruitlessly to free myself from the torture devices they'd inflicted upon me? They laughed. Dani and Ethan clapped and giggled. Rude.

I shot _Daddy_ the evil eye.

"Sorry, Rainbow. They're loving it." _Daddy_ shrugged. "My hands are tied."

No! I was the one who was tied. I couldn't believe _Daddy_ was ignoring my pain and suffering for their enjoyment. Didn't he know who was the most important here? It was _me!_ I made that clear to them _every single day._ How dare _he_ forget?

I let out a growl/yell combo that let everybody know that the fun was over. But they just laughed some more. Clearly I'd been taking it too easy on them lately. They thought they were in charge. Foolish family.

I turned to the left again. I still couldn't reach the ribbon. Damn it. Okay. Time to think, Rainbow. You're smarter than everyone else. You can get out of this. If only I could reach just a little bit more…Darn it.

Okay, if I couldn't get it off with my paws or my mouth, and they were going to be rude enough not to help me, I needed to use something or someone else. Nobody else was here right now besides the betrayers, so it was up to me.

I looked around the room, and if I could laugh like they did, I would let one out now. I had it! I walked over to the bench they sat on when they gave the pretty sounds and rubbed my head against the legs. That was it! The hat was getting loose. Just a little bit more, this way, and that way, and yes! Victory is mine! You can't keep Rainbow down, silly humans!

The hat fell around my neck, the ties having loosened but not completely coming off. That was fine because now I could reach it with my mouth. I yanked once, twice, and on the third pull, off it came. I was free!

Well, I was mostly free. I rolled onto my side and arched my back against the chair thingy. One rub and yes! Rainbow wins, just like always! Take that, family!

I stood and glared at them. They were still laughing, for some unknown reason.

 _Daddy_ reached over and picked me up, cuddling me to _his_ chest, which was where I belonged. But I was mad at _him_ , so I didn't cuddle like I usually did. I shared my displeasure with a yell and a paw to his chin.

"I know, Rainbow, but you really did look cute."

Duh. I always did. I didn't have to wear silly itchy hats and ribbons to be cute. Ribbons were to play with. Actually, the strings on the hat kind of looked like fun. I might have to play with that later, once I hid it in my stash. They weren't getting that thing on me again.

"You're a good girl, Rainbow."

 _Mommy_ patted my head. I turned away from her. She'd laughed at my suffering.

"Looks like we're in trouble," she told _Daddy._

Yes. Yes, you are. And just because _Daddy_ is holding and petting me, and it feels good and right, doesn't mean I'm going to forget what you've done to me. There must be retribution. Vengeance is mine.

"She won't stay mad for long, will you, Rainbow?"

 _Daddy_ lifted me so I could see into his face. It was a good face and I liked it, a lot, but I was still mad. I wouldn't be coddled into forgetting. I wouldn't be…

"Such a good girl."

And then _Daddy_ put his lips on top of my head. He didn't do that often, but he had to know I couldn't resist it.

"Thanks for tolerating Dani dressing you up, Rainbow," he murmured in my ear. It felt good. "You never let me down."

Of course I didn't. We were a team, even if he forgot it and let me suffer.

 _Daddy_ stood and took Dani's hand, carrying me with them.

"Come on, princess. Let's go put the hat back on Santa."

I put my paw on his face. Really? No more hat?

He did that thing where he showed me his teeth, in the nice way, not the way I did to the other cats.

"I've got your back, Rainbow. Always. Merry Christmas."

We were a team again. Perhaps I would spare his shoes. Perhaps. Merry Christmas, _Daddy._


	58. Chapter 58

**A/N Happy Playoff Day! Can you believe the season is over and we're to the playoffs? Who do you have surviving the divisional round? How about the fact that NotRob got to QB for quite a few weeks before Peyton came back in to play hero? He looked so Cockyback! Loved it! I'm psyched for this playoff season! Psyched!**

**Good news! I've written all the outtakes for this story, and plan on posting one a week for the playoffs and the final one on Super Bowl Sunday! So you have those to look forward to. I've also written a chapter of the new short story that's been in my head for ages. And I'm still thinking about Grande. And I have something else we'll discuss later :) So yeah, lots to come, I promise.**

**We haven't seen Miss Chelsea in a while, so I thought I'd tell her story that was brought up in another outtake with Dani. I hope you enjoy protective Cockyback! I'll see you next week with another! Love and miss you guys!**

GB Outtake Chelsea

I smiled when I saw the car in the driveway as I pulled up. Chelsea's parents had bought her a used Altima when she turned sixteen, and she popped over often after school to hang with Bella and the kids. I gathered my gym bag and the game tape and headed into the house.

I was surprised not to hear the usual shrieking and laughing that accompanied a Chelsea visit but headed into the kitchen anyway. That's where the family usually was when I got home. A quick glance showed me that I was wrong, although Rainbow popped up from her spot by the fireplace and came running.

"Hey, Rainbow." I bent to pick her up. "Where is everyone?"

Her response was a meow and a head butt, which wasn't overly helpful.

"Reed Girl?" I called, heading for the stairs.

"We're in Dani's room," my wife called.

Well then. I headed that way, stopping in the doorway when I heard sniffles. Fuck. Someone was crying. Who and why? Had Dani had a bad day at school?

"What's going on?" I asked, walking into the room to find my wife and daughter cuddled up with Chelsea, whose head was resting on Reed Girl's shoulder.

Fuck. My first thought and fear was that she was sick like her brother had been. I don't know why I went there, but a part of me always worried that she'd get sick, too. Some kind of twin thing.

"What's wrong? What can I do?" I asked, carrying Rainbow over to the bed.

She hopped out of my arms and walked right over to Chelsea, climbed into her lap, and curled up. Rainbow knew how to comfort people when they were upset. She was a lot fucking better at it than I was, let me tell you.

"Chelsea just had a bad day at school." Reed Girl held out a hand to me, and I took it, collapsing on the bed next to her and pulling all three girls into my arms.

"What happened?" A bad day didn't entail sobbing your eyes out, at least not in my world.

"Why do boys lie?" Chelsea asked, her sad blue eyes swimming in tears as she looked up at me.

Fucking hell. Boys. Why did she have to be dating? She'd been so excited a few months ago when she'd gone on her first ever date. She and Reed Girl had spent hours picking out outfits and talking about hair and makeup and shit. I'd taken Dani away before she could get any ideas in her pretty little head about boys and dating. Yeah, she'd only been five at the time, but still. Fuck that noise.

"What boy lied about what?" Had he gotten into her pants? I was going to have to kill him if that was the case. Chelsea was nearly as much my girl as my own daughter was.

Reed Girl ran her fingers through my hair, no doubt trying to keep me calm.

"This boy Chelsea went out with is telling everyone that things got a lot farther than they did."

Fucking prick. Who was this little asshole? He and I needed to have a discussion.

"Trevor Snowden," Chelsea spat, her voice shaky from the crying, but I was glad to see that there was some anger there as well. "He said that I…that we…"

I held up a hand because I didn't need to hear those details. I got the drift. There was generally only one thing that guys lied about when it came to girls at that age. I'd never had to lie, of course, but I knew plenty who had.

"Did he try to push you to do anything?" I needed to know this for my own sanity and because I needed to know just how much pain I had to inflict upon him when we met-which if I had my way, was going to be very soon.

"No! We barely even kissed good night. I don't understand why he would say those things about me."

I sighed when three pairs of expectant female eyes turned my way. This was the shitty thing about being the only male in the house-well, minus Ethan, but he could hardly explain the male psyche when it came to sex. Where was Jasper when I needed him? His counselor ass should be having this discussion.

"Why don't you go find your brother, Princess?" Dani didn't need to be hearing this discussion.

"He's napping," she told me, sitting back and clutching her teddy bear to her. "I want to stay here and make Chelsea feel better."

I smiled at her, because she was so damn cute and sweet. She loved Chelsea like a big sister.

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair, glancing at my wife, whose lips twitched. Yeah, she fucking loved seeing me squirm.

"I'm sure Bella has told you that guys see certain things differently than girls do."

Reed Girl smirked.

"She said that boys think with their-"

I held up a hand again because I didn't need to hear certain words pass Chelsea's lips. She wasn't my kid, but she was close enough.

"Er, yes, they do. But also, guys brag. They brag when they have stuff to brag about, like being an awesome athlete…"

I smirked at Reed Girl's little laugh. Chelsea even rolled her eyes and gave me a half smile.

"And they brag when they don't. Everything is kind of a competition with guys. So if one guy is getting lai…er, with a girl, then the others think they have to be. And if they're not, they'll sometimes lie and claim they are."

"But that's awful! I really liked him! I thought we were going to go out again and maybe someday we'd get to that point, but not after the first date."

Christ. I didn't even like hearing that she'd consider doing it one day down the road. That was just fucking wrong.

"Of course not after the first date." Or the twenty-first. "Any guy who would lie about that isn't worth your time. He doesn't deserve you."

Chelsea snorted. "Of course I'm never going to speak to him again. But he told everybody! And now all these guys who have never talked to me before are asking me out because they think I'm easy."

Of course they were. Fucking hell. What teenage boy didn't like an easy lay?

"You have to rise above it," Reed Girl told her, rubbing her back. "You have to hold your head up high and try to laugh off the rumors. You know it's not true, and anybody who truly knows you knows it isn't. Right now it seems like the end of the world, but I promise you, the rumors will die down and everybody will move on."

That was one way to go about it. Not the way that I preferred, though. "Or you could sock him in the nose."

Reed Girl laughed and shook her head. "Lovely advice, Champ."

I liked it. "I could do it for you."

Chelsea actually laughed. "I'd love to see that. He'd probably lose his sh…stuff the instant he laid eyes on you."

It was an idea. A good one, as far as I was concerned. No, I wasn't going to beat up a sixteen-year-old kid, fun though it may be, but I could scare the shit out of one.

"Edward won't be hitting anyone." Reed Girl smiled at me. "But his heart's in the right place. Why don't you stay and have dinner with us, call your parents and ask if you can have a girl's night with me and Dani? We'll let Edward and Ethan have some man time."

That sounded good to me. I far preferred testosterone to tears.

"Okay." Chelsea wiped at her pretty face. "Sorry I came and cried all over you guys."

"Hey. You're family. You can come see us anytime," I told her.

She bent forward and gave me a hug. "Thanks, Edward. You give me hope that there are good guys in the world."

I smiled at that, stroking her soft hair. "There are. And trust me when I tell you that you'll find one, because I'll make damn sure of it. No jerks are getting through me."

She let out a watery laugh. "Okay, good."

"Trust me. He can spot them." Reed Girl smirked at me, both of us knowing that she was referring to the guy I used to be. "Let's call your mom."

I held out a hand to Dani. "Let's go wake up your brother so I can have an ally in this sea of estrogen."

"What's estrogen?" she asked as I tugged her from the room to give Chelsea and Reed Girl a little more talk time without sensitive ears.

"It's a girl thing," I told her.

"What's easy?"

"Not you, baby. Never, ever." I scooped her up and gave her a smacking kiss. "No more big-girl talk. Let's go watch some cartoons."

I shuddered to think of having this same conversation with her in another ten years. It would be way too soon for me to deal with it. As it was, I was having a hard time leaving Chelsea to Reed Girl. Let it die down, my ass. That kid was going to tell everybody he was a fucking liar. I was going to see to it.

Xoxoxoxoxo

"This kid said what?" Sammy demanded, his dark eyes narrowing and shooting fire.

"He told his pals that Chelsea put out, and now the whole school knows. Guys are asking her out, wanting to be the next in line." Just thinking of it pissed me off, and I slammed down the weight I'd been holding.

"What the hell? We're not gonna let that stand, are we?" he asked.

And that, right there, was the reason Sammy was my closest friend on the team.

"Fuck no, we're not. I'm going over there on my lunch hour to have a talk with him."

"Correction. _We're_ going over to have a talk with him." He clenched his jaw. "I have daughters, damn it. Is this what I have to look forward to when they hit their teens?"

"Tell me about it. Dani's older than your two. I'm going to suffer first." God help me. "Reed Girl says I can't hit him."

"Little loser would probably sue us if we did," Sammy muttered, kicking at one of the sweat towels hanging off the bench. "Fucker."

"Just because we can't touch him doesn't mean we can't scare the living shit out of him. The most important thing is making sure the shithead owns up to being a fucking liar."

"It's a date." Sammy grinned. "I can't say I've ever been so excited to go to school before."

I snorted. "I know what you mean." My visits to school these days were way better than when I was a kid, that was for sure. I was looking forward to this one more than most.

Xoxoxoxox

"Does Chels know we're coming?" Sammy asked as we headed into the school.

"I think she assumes," I said, laughing at the way she'd hugged me when she left this morning. She'd had a look in her eye and a smirk on her face when she told me she'd see me soon. Reed Girl had definitely known, only telling me not to do anything that was going to get splashed across the newspapers and the net.

I checked in with the front office. I'd already informed them that I was stopping by with lunch. They were used to it by now. I visited Chelsea once a month at least. A smile for the secretary and principal had us being waved on with flutters and blushes. That shit never got old.

We pushed through the cafeteria doors, and my eyes quickly found Chelsea. She was at a table with a few close friends, her eyes downcast and shoulders hunched. That would never fucking do.

The usual gasps and exclamations accompanied our appearance as we made our way across to Chelsea.

"Hey, Chels. What's with that face? Don't you have a hug for your favorite wide receiver?" Sammy demanded, loudly, in case there were a few people who hadn't noticed us yet.

Chelsea looked up, and a smile lit her pretty face. She pushed out of her chair and ran into Sammy's waiting arms.

"I'm sorry…is Antonio Brown here?"

"I'll Antonio Brown you, kid!" He swung her around before setting her down in front of me. "Here. She won't pretend that you're not her favorite."

"Because he is." Chelsea snuggled into my arms. "Hi, Edward."

"Hi, kid. How are things today?"

She shrugged, and I saw that sadness back on her face. "The same, I guess."

"Well, we can't have that." I smiled at Sammy, giving him a nod.

"Where's Trevor Snowden?" he shouted. "I'm looking for Trevor Snowden! He's the big winner of a special prize."

"There he is!" a kid yelled, helpfully pointing at the boy who was now hunched over much the same way Chelsea had been.

"Thank you, my friend." Sammy beamed at him. "Trevor! Come over here for a minute."

With all eyes on the kid, he kind of had no choice but to push back from his chair and walk over to where we stood. I kept my arm around Chelsea, bracing her as she tensed at his nearness.

"There's a lot of witnesses if you hit me," he muttered once he got in front of us.

"Hit him?" I asked, looking at Sammy, who managed to look shocked and dismayed. "Why ever would we hit him? What could you, a mere child, have possibly done to make us hit you?"

He glanced at Chelsea and then shrugged. "I don't know."

"Oh, I think you know." I flashed him the same smile I flashed on the field right before I threw a game-winning touchdown.

"I didn't do anything."

"Exactly! He didn't do anything, Sammy! He admits it! So then, why does everybody in this cafeteria think that you did something?"

He shrugged, his brown hair falling into his eye. I itched to take out some scissors and cut that shit off. Damn my promises.

"I can't help what people say."

"Can't you? Well, even if you weren't the one who started the rumor, you could be the one to finish it. If you were any kind of man."

I turned to Sammy. "I'm fairly certain there's nothing more pathetic than a guy who has to lie about his sex life, as if that's what makes him a man."

"Agreed. You know what makes a man a man? It's standing up and doing the right thing, owning up to your mistakes, defending the reputation of a girl who did nothing more than have the bad taste to go out with a moron."

Sammy glanced at Chelsea. "Really, kid, we need to work on this. I'm not sure what you ever saw in this guy. He reminds me of this jerk I grew up with, who also lied about his experience with women. Pretty sure he's still a virgin. Because even if his friends thought he was cool because of his lies, the girls saw through him. And really, who should a teenage boy want to impress? It's certainly not the guys, unless you swing that way. In which case, more power to you."

"I don't swing that way! What are you trying to do," he asked quietly.

I smiled. "Us? We're not trying to do anything. We're just trying to clear up a rumor. We can't help it if what we say here gets twisted by your friends, just like what you said or didn't say about your date with Chelsea."

"Seriously. We can't control what people say." Sammy had a bright smile on his face. "We can only control what we do about it," he added, softly, so only we could hear. "What should we do about it, Trevor?"

"I can think of many, many things. I spent much of the night jotting down ideas. I have a daughter, you see. Sammy has two. It's good for us to be prepared for situations that may arise. Also, Chelsea is a weird kind of sister/daughter hybrid, so you can imagine that I'm insanely protective of her. And when I hear that a little loser is spreading lies about her, I get angry. And then I get creative. Interesting things happen when I'm creative, wouldn't you say, Sammy?"

Trevor's eyes were wide, and he was kind of pale. It made me feel pretty awesome.

"Oh yeah. I've seen you get creative. What you did to Colin is still the stuff of legend. Years later, he's still getting crap for it."

I smirked, even though I hadn't done shit. Reed Girl had a devious fucking mind, though, and she'd use it against this kid in a heartbeat.

"So, should I continue to get creative, Trevor? Or would you like to clear matters up right here and right now, with everybody watching? Because I enjoy having all eyes on me, you know. It's a quarterback thing. Do you enjoy the spotlight?"

He shook his head.

"Well, take it. Just this once. Before I do." I kept the pleasant smile on my face the whole time.

He looked petrified. "I didn't sleep with Chelsea. I lied!" he yelled.

"Why ever would you do that?"

"Because everyone said I was a loser if I didn't. Jay slept with Jessica, and David with Mary, and I was the last of my friends."

"What?" some girl shrieked.

I glanced at Chelsea, who smirked and said, "Jessica."

The girl went up to some dude and laid into him.

"Looks like you might not be the only liar of the bunch, Trev," Sammy drawled, smirking as the girl smacked the boy upside his head.

"I guess that just goes to show that much of the stuff you hear in the hallways just isn't true." I looked around the cafeteria, meeting every eye I could. "Perhaps you should stop and think before you say things about people, because the next lie could be about you. So, Trevor, thank you for clearing up that little matter. I trust that we won't have to return for any other situations?"

He shook his head quickly. "No."

"Good. Because I'm not going to throw that list away. I'm just going to add to it periodically when inspiration strikes. And if you so much as think an unkind thought about Chelsea, I'll be forced to consult it. Okay?"

"Okay. Sorry, Chelsea."

She just nodded, and the kid scampered away.

"Now that that bit of business is done, let's eat!" Sammy said, smiling.

"Oh, one more thing." I glanced around the cafeteria. "Any of you who asked Chelsea out based on that lie? You don't deserve a minute of her time. Don't you bother her either. My list is extensive and all-encompassing."

"Edward!" Chelsea hissed. "Now nobody will ever ask me out."

I grinned at her. "That's the point, kid." But the frown on her face had me continuing. "Any guy who treats you with respect is fine by me, Chels. Just pick better next time."

"I will." She hugged me. "Thanks for helping me out, Edward."

"Anytime, kiddo. Anytime."


	59. Chapter 59

**A/N Happy NFL playoffs! This will be posting a bit late since the parents are coming to do the family b-day celebrations. Three of us within a week! And I have to thank you all for the love on FB and Twitter for my birthday on Friday! It meant a lot to me, and I appreciate it. You guys always make me feel loved!**

**So, we had all the road teams win last week, for the first time ever. This is a weird year. Injuries are definitely hurting the teams this year, so anything can happen. I was at dinner during the Pats/KC, frantically checking the phone for updates. Every year, we do this dinner during the playoffs. It's torture for me, but the food gets me through the pain of not having football for a few hours.**

**I was going to post yesterday but the parents arrived extra early. Anyway, two favorites took the win. We shall see what happens today. Pitt is so beat up I don't see it but they were the hottest team a couple of weeks ago. I have no idea what Sea will do, ever. I know the GB/Ari game was exciting as hell. Sorry GB fans, but they had magic too. I love football! Enjoy today's games!  
**

**A lot of you requested a look at little AJ's first time throwing the ball. I had it written, so I'm glad I could fulfill the request. I adore this outtake, and hopefully you all will as well. Enjoy! Have a great week, and I'll see you next for the championship rounds! Happy footballin!**

GB Outtake AJ

"Throw it long," Sammy called, taking off as fast as he could.

I laughed, dodging Colin and his son, Christopher, before letting the ball fly. Sammy easily blew past Jasper in coverage and flew into the end zone-well, the makeshift version anyway. We were having a family picnic in the park, one last big hurrah before school and the football season started and shit got too hectic.

"Losing your step, man," I told Jasper when he finally got back. Sammy had jogged past his ass and joined me a few minutes before.

"Some of us aren't getting paid millions to keep in shape." He patted his still-flat belly. "I'm part of the working class now. I don't run."

I snickered. "Coach would kick your ass if he saw that loafing shit."

"Nah. He's old now. Couldn't catch me if he tried."

I shook my head. "Get back out there and prove it. I'm gonna bring out your inner-athlete yet."

Jasper smirked. "Sorry. My inner-pig wants to come out and have some more of my wife's awesome potato salad. You stay out here and work, though. You could use it."

I chucked the ball into his retreating ass, making him yelp.

He grabbed the ball. "Now I'm holding it hostage. You've got to eat at least two burgers before you can play again."

"I'm pretty sure that's the opposite of good health practices. Have you learned nothing about letting food settle before you get active again?"

He laughed and tossed the ball, catching it as he walked backwards. "Sure, I've heard of it, but that only applies to us mere mortals. Professional athletes should be ready to go at all times, even on a full stomach."

I rolled my eyes but trotted after him. Food sounded good. And my team had deserted me anyway. Sammy already had a hot dog in his big trap, and the plates of food in front of Colin and Christopher made me worry there'd be nothing left.

"Did you save any for me? Dam-rn," I corrected, remembering that the audience had young ears.

"I saved you some, Daddy."

I grinned over at my girl. "Thank you, Dani. That's why you're my favorite daughter in the world."

She laughed when I gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek. "I'm your only daughter, Daddy."

"But still my favorite. How's the food?"

She lifted a forkful of macaroni salad toward me, and I ate it. It was awesome.

"Really good."

"You've got that right, Dani. Are you having fun?"

"Yeah. A few of us are going to the playground when we get done."

I eyed the playground. There were quite a few kids over there. "Okay, but stay where we can see you. And take Christopher." Christopher may not be Colin's biological son, but he sure took after him. The kid was big. Give him a few years, and he might be on the o-line as well.

Dani rolled her eyes. "Fine, Daddy."

Christ, the kid was twelve but already had those teenage reactions to shit. God help me when the hormones hit her. Or had they already? Fuck. I didn't want to know. That was Reed Girl's domain.

"Good." I ruffled her hair because I knew it drove her nuts.

Sure enough, she shrieked and started patting at it. She was such a girl sometimes. But, thankfully, only sometimes. She could throw down with the boys whenever she wanted.

"When you're done with that, come back to the team. I need your speed. You can totally burn Jasper on the long ball."

Dani shrugged, but not before I saw the little smile on her face. "Okay."

I headed toward the grill, stopping to see what Ethan was up to. He and Julian had their heads buried over his tablet. I wondered briefly if they were looking at girls but blew out a laugh when I saw that it was some music app. You could get my son outside, but you couldn't get him away from his music. I was pretty sure he heard it in his sleep.

"Having a good time, boys?"

"Yeah, Dad," he responded absently.

"Sure, Uncle Edward." Julian grinned at me. He was the spitting image of his father. Hopefully he wouldn't take after him in school. I wouldn't have to worry about it, though. Ethan had planned on going to Julliard since he was six and found out about it. Julian didn't have a musical bone in his body, but he liked hanging with my son.

"The girls and Christopher are going to play on the playground in a few, if you want to join them."

Ethan just grunted and fiddled with the program. I figured he'd keep his nose stuck in his music. Reed Girl said that as long as he wasn't anti-social, which he wasn't, then we should indulge in his interests. I got it, though I wished he'd get out there occasionally and play sports with the rest of us.

"Okay, bud. I'm going to eat. Do you want anything?"

"No, thanks."

I started to walk away, but Ethan called me. "Dad."

"Yeah?" I asked, turning around.

"That was a really good pass you threw to Uncle Sammy."

I smiled. He might appear to be in his own world, but he usually knew what was going on. "Thanks, bud. If you want to join us later, you can."

He laughed. "Maybe."

We both knew athletics weren't where his talents lay. But he could still have fun if he let loose with us. "Just think about it."

"Okay." His eyes were already back on his iPad.

I chuckled and headed toward the grill, hooking up with a burger and hot dog, along with the potato and macaroni salads. Jasper was right about one thing; Shorty made a mean potato salad. I went to the picnic bench, where Reed Girl sat with Emily, Kim, Sarah, Shorty, and the guys.

My wife smiled at me as I sat next to her. "Looking good, Champ."

"Midseason form already!" Sammy said with a grin.

"Thanks, man."

"Oh, I was talking about me. You could use some work."

I toyed with tossing some potato salad at him, but with kids and dogs scattered around, it probably wasn't a good idea. A full-fledged food fight would be fun, but I'd get my ass handed to me by my wife.

"You looked amazing to me," she murmured.

Oh yeah? Hell, yeah. The look in Reed Girl's eyes let me know that I was going to get very lucky later. Awesome. I'd be sure to wear all the kids out so they'd go to sleep quickly.

"As do you, Reed Girl." I gave her a smacking kiss, laughing when I felt a little hand pulling on my shirt.

"No kisses, Daddy!"

I pulled away from my wife, grinning down at my littlest perched on her lap. He was my spitting image, right down to the crazy hair. "Daddy likes kisses, AJ. Now it's your turn for one."

"No!" he yelled, but I already had him in my arms. He wiggled and giggled as I lifted his shirt and blew loud raspberries on his belly.

"Lots of kisses, just for you, little man."

I plopped him on my lap, holding him while I wolfed down my burger. "What have you been doing?"

"Playin with Fifi."

I snickered at his nickname for Jasper's daughter, Fiona. Shorty growled and Jasper muttered about his daughter not being a dog, but hell, that's what they got for naming her Fiona. You had to think of that shit when naming your kid. I'd fought the good fight with Reed Girl for both boys, wanting Joseph Montana Cullen in the worst way, despite her objections over them having to live up to such a name. We'd compromised and given Adam the middle name Joseph, which I secretly extended to Adam Joseph Montana Cullen in my mind. Nobody had to know.

"Well, that's fun. Did you guys have a good time?" I gave him an orange slice to chew on.

"Yes, but I wanna play with you."

"Yeah? Okay, little man, we'll let you play. What position?"

He shot me a look over his shoulder. "Quarterback, Daddy."

I swear I could hear an implied "duh" in his tone.

"Taking my job already, AJ? I'm not that old."

"Yes, old daddy."

"From the mouths of babes," Sammy said, laughing when I shot him a furtive finger after making sure the kids wouldn't see.

"You're older than I am, man. And receivers tend to break down a lot earlier than quarterbacks do."

Sammy shot me a wink. "That's not what AJ says. He's ready to take your place, right?"

"Right!"

I chuckled and set AJ on his feet. "This I have to see. Go get your ball, little man."

He zipped off to get the little Nerf ball we'd picked up last night. The thing hadn't left his side since we got it. He even slept with it in his bed.

"Think you can take him?" Reed Girl asked, her eyes twinkling. "He was born on a football Sunday, after all. It's his destiny."

I laughed at the memory. AJ was the only one of my kids born during the season, and of course he'd had to come on a Sunday. At least we'd been at home. I'd been ready to leave midgame once word came down that Reed Girl was in labor, but she'd ordered me via text to stay and win. She'd claimed she had plenty of time. Yeah, so much for that. I'd arrived at the hospital literally five minutes before AJ had.

"Well, he's got a little seasoning to do before he takes my job. He's only three."

"But he's an advanced three. And he has Cullen genes. He should be ready to go in a few years," Brady joked.

"I have Cullen genes, too, dummy." Having kids meant having to censor myself around my fucking asshole teammates far too often. It was the one thing I disliked about parenthood. Well, that and poopy diapers. But I was done with those for now, thankfully.

"Yeah, but yours are old and tired. His are fresh and new. Makes a difference."

"Et tu, Jasper? Does nobody think I still have it? I'm only thirty-three, right in my prime."

"I think you still have it." Reed Girl planted a kiss on my cheek. "And you'll have it later, too."

She added a nibble to my ear that made my eyes cross. Holy fuck, the woman was potent.

"Darn right I will," I whispered back before giving her a much hotter kiss than I normally would in the middle of the park with eyes all around.

"They're ready to make the next Cullen quarterback," Shorty announced, making everybody laugh.

I smirked as Reed Girl shook her head. We were thinking about trying again soon, now that AJ was out of diapers and such. I wanted at least one more. Kids were a blast, most of the time.

"Daddy, it's time to play. No kisses!"

"That's your dad's favorite way to play," Colin said, getting a smack from his wife. "What? It's true."

It definitely was, but sadly I had to wait to score in that game.

"Okay, little man. Show me what you've got." I put my plate in the trash and took his hand, leading him to a little more open space where he hopefully wouldn't bean any innocent bystanders.

I put his little fingers on the top of the ball, over the bumps that stood in for laces. "You put your fingers just like this, pull your arm back, and push it forward. Let your fingers help guide it, okay? Like this." I put my hand over his, helped him pull the ball back, and we let it go. He laughed and clapped when it went about two yards.

"Good one! Think you can throw it to Daddy, just like that?"

"Yes!"

I smiled at how fucking cute he was, bouncing on his little feet in excitement.

"Okay. Daddy's going to be right here." I crouched down about three feet away from him, figuring that the ball would travel a bit less without me helping him throw it. "Do you think you can get it to me?"

"Yes, Daddy."

I watched, smiling hugely as he put his fingers over the laces just like I'd shown him. His little face was completely serious as he made sure he had it right. He even bit his lip like his mother.

"You've got it, buddy. Now pull your arm back and throw it here." I held my hands up, ready to dive whichever way I needed to make sure that he completed his first ever pass.

AJ cocked his arm, rather perfectly if I did say so myself, and stepped into the throw, which I hadn't even shown him yet, before letting the ball fly. And fly it fucking did. It was nearly over my head before I reached out and managed to snag it before it sailed past me. If I hadn't caught it, it would have gone at least five yards, maybe more.

"Holy shit" slipped out, before I could stop myself. But I totally wasn't alone. The exclamations coming from the picnic table were an echo of mine.

Reed Girl was jumping up and down, and I was thrilled to see that she had her phone in hand. We had video of it, and I couldn't fucking wait to forward that shit to everyone, especially Emmett, my dad, and Charlie. They were going to shit bricks.

"Did you see that?" I demanded, scooping my son up and putting him on my shoulders. "You're the champion, AJ."

"I win! I win!" he yelled, bouncing up and down. I held his legs as I carried him back to the table.

"Did you see Mommy? I throwed it!"

"You throwed it so good, baby! You're a great quarterback, just like Daddy."

"Like Daddy!" He patted my head and made me laugh.

"Just like Daddy, little man. You've got a cannon for an arm."

"Cannon arm? Iron Man?"

I laughed. Iron Man was his favorite Avenger. "Sort of, little man. Only, your weapon is a football."

I turned to my wife. "You recorded that, right?"

"Recorded and already texted it to the family. Emmett's going to die."

Damn right he was. I crouched down so AJ could slide down my back.

"You did great, AJ! You want to throw some more?"

"Yes! To everyone! I want a team!"

"We'll get you a team, buddy. You want your sister to play?"

He shook his head. "I throw to Sammy like you."

Sammy hopped up with a grin. "I'm a pro at catching Cullen passes. Let's see that arm of yours, AJ. Go easy on me, though. I need these hands for the season. Your dad's weak passes won't injure me, but you might."

AJ giggled. "I no hurt you! But catch it."

Everybody laughed as Sammy pretended to look frightened. "Such pressure! Don't hurt me if I miss. I promise to do better next time."

AJ just laughed again and cocked his arm back, letting the ball fly. Sammy plucked it out of the air and ran, yelling, "Touchdown!"

"Your first touchdown, baby!" Reed Girl cheered, her phone recording that moment for posterity as well.

"Touchdown like Daddy!" he yelled before he did a little booty shake.

I laughed as I scooped him up. "Quarterbacks don't do touchdown dances, buddy. But I'll allow it because you're cute."

"I dance, Daddy."

"Okay, you can dance, buddy."

I put him down as Sammy over called the children who wanted to play and started making teams. AJ was the quarterback of one, and Dani wanted to be the other.

I slipped my arm around Reed Girl, smiling when Ethan came over to play with his little brother.

"I'll be your receiver, AJ."

"Okay! I throw to you, Ethan."

"The next generation of Cullen athletes," Reed Girl said with a smile. "They're so cute."

"They are that. Better have your phone at the ready, baby. I'm going to be bringing the pass rush against our kids. They need to learn to elude the blitz early."

She laughed, shaking her head. "Just save some energy for me later."

"Count on it." I kissed her, ready to head over to join the teams, when she stopped me with a laugh.

"Emmett says he's sending a scholarship offer for fifteen years from now."

I laughed with her but damned if I wasn't thrilled at the idea of another Cullen quarterbacking at FSU in a decade and a half. Time would tell if he had the drive and desire. God knew he'd have the talent-he was a Cullen. He cocked that golden arm of his back and let the ball fly, cackling with glee when his brother caught it.

I watched both my boys celebrate as Dani ran up and wrapped her arms around them. They were my legacy, and on the field or off, they were going to excel, and I was going to be right there to celebrate with them.

I ran over and tackled all three of them, rolling so they fell on me instead of the other way around.

"Got you!"

"No, Daddy, we got you," Dani corrected me, sitting on my chest and raising her arms in triumph. AJ and Ethan climbed aboard and did the same.

"You do, kid. You all do."


	60. Chapter 60

**A/N Happy Championship Sunday! It's Tom vs. Peyton round 17, and likely the last one we'll see. I hope. Peyton, I love him, but he's really on his last legs and I don't want him to stick around when he can't play anymore. But I am excited for it. I actually like 3 of the 4 teams in the championship games, (you can try to guess who is the odd man out) so that's exciting. The Super Bowl will be set. And then, darkness descends as football exits. Le sigh. You know how hard this time of year is on me! But, more writing time, so that'll be good.**

**I may have an entry in one of the many cool contests that are going on now. I can't say which one, but my words are out there to be found, along with many other talented writers! So, keep up with the contests, vote for your faves, and leave reviews! I can tell you that even though I can't respond, I check daily to see what people have said. haha I'd forgotten how nerve-wracking contest entries can be. But fun! And I love my story. Will post here at some point as well.**

**I hope those of you that got hit with the big storm this weekend are okay! I don't miss snow, but I do like looking at it on TV. As long as you've got food and power. I hope you're all safe and warm! Take care, stay off the roads if you can, and happy reading and footballing (if that's your thing, of course)**

**Here's a little more of the eldest male Cullen, and another rite of passage, so to speak. I thought it was fun, and hopefully you will as well. Thanks for all the love for little AJ last week. He is a chip off the old block. Have a great couple of weeks, and I'll see you on Super Bowl Sunday with the last outtake, at least the last for awhile. Hehe I can't wait to share that one! See you soon!**

GB Outtake Ethan

"You have to go talk to your son," Reed Girl hissed as I walked into the kitchen.

A quick glance in the backyard showed me that AJ was tossing the ball with one of his friends. He'd be starting Pee Wee soon. I couldn't wait. Ethan was nowhere to be seen.

"Which one?"

"Ethan."

There was something about her tone that had me eying her warily. "Why?"

She sighed and shook her head. "I kind of, sort of, walked in on him while he was…you know!"

Oh, I had a damn good idea, but I bit back a laugh and kept a blank look on my face. "What? Practicing music?"

He was practicing music, all right. Fingering the flute. Sliding the trombone. Tuning the tuba? Hmm…there was a whole world of new euphemisms just waiting to be made there. The kid was almost thirteen. I knew damn well what he'd been doing that had his mother speechless.

She smacked my arm. "You know what he was doing. And if you play dumb, you'll be doing what he was doing for the foreseeable future. Got it?"

Suddenly it wasn't so funny. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her neck. "I'm sorry, baby. I've just never seen you incapable of talking about anything, let alone sex."

She leaned against me. "I'm not, unless it comes to that. And it's not that I'm embarrassed. I get that it's a natural thing and he's growing up and all that. I'm afraid that he is. It can't be good for him to have his mother walk in…" She trailed off. "He hasn't come out of his room since, and I don't want to make him uncomfortable. Would you just go talk to him?"

"I dunno. He'll come out eventually, right?" I had no clue what to say. What had my dad said? I should call him.

"Oh, no, you don't, Cullen! We had a deal. Remember? I take Dani; you take the boys. You agreed to that after she asked how babies were made and you ran away and left me alone to deal with it."

I had to laugh at that memory. Dani had been around six at the time. We'd been able to avoid the discussion when Reed Girl was pregnant with Ethan, because Dani was just too young. But with the baby boom among teammates and family, she'd piped up with it at a barbecue. I'd hightailed it to the other end of the yard while Reed Girl fed her some crap about love and such. I'd gotten my ass reamed after everyone left, and we'd agreed that I'd take boy stuff and she'd take girl stuff, and we'd both been happier for it. At least I was until now, anyway.

"I know, baby. I'm just teasing. I'll let him know that it's normal and all that good stuff." God help me.

"Okay. Thank you. Just make sure he knows that I'm not judging him or upset or anything. I don't want him to feel weird around me."

I kissed her nose. "Baby, it might be weird for a day or two, but he's your boy. He'll be back to normal soon enough."

"I hope so." She burrowed into me for a few more moments. "I'm going to get dinner on. Please get him to come down and join us."

I bit back a comment about coming and kissed her again. "I'm on it, Reed Girl. All your boys will be present and accounted for, I promise."

"Thanks, Champ."

I headed upstairs, wondering exactly what in the hell I was going to say. Rainbow trotted with me, so I scooped her up.

"Help me out, Rainbow. If he seems sullen or pissy, you soften him up."

Soften…shit. I really needed to stop thinking like a twelve-year-old. Or maybe I needed to keep thinking that way, since he was one? We could laugh and look at porn mags. Christ. I was losing my damn mind. Kids caused that shit, let me tell you.

I knocked on Ethan's door, not wanting a repeat of Reed Girl's trauma.

"What?" he called without bothering to come answer it. That was rare for him. Dani did that shit all the time, but not Ethan. Fabulous.

"It's your dad. Can I come in?"

Several seconds went by before he answered. "I guess."

"Here we go," I muttered to Rainbow as I pushed open the door.

She hopped out of my arms and onto Ethan's bed, giving him some head butts. He reached out to stroke her fur, so at least he wasn't shutting her out. Not that anybody could shut Rainbow out for long. She wouldn't allow it.

I glanced at his bed, but figured I knew what he'd been doing there, so I pulled his desk chair over and sat in it. "Hi, bud. How are you?"

He glanced up at me before turning his eyes back to Rainbow. "You really came in to ask how I am?" he demanded.

The kid was smart. Too damn smart. That's okay. So was I.

"Well, no. But I thought I'd wean us into the whole masturbation discussion. If you'd rather we dive right in, we can do that."

"Jeez, Dad!" He jerked his shoulder, Cullen-style, and glared at me.

I grinned at him. He looked so much like his mother when he was pissed off, those brown eyes snapping with temper. Thankfully it didn't have the same effect on me that his mother's anger did, though that might jump-start the conversation as well, albeit way more awkwardly.

"Well, you know why I'm here. I know why I'm here. So we can pretend I'm here for other reasons, or we can get to it. Totally up to you. I'd be happy to discuss my game plan for the Cowboys this weekend, if you're interested."

He rolled his eyes. "You know I'm not."

No. He wasn't. I had to admit, even though I'd never once regretted his musical talents, that I had been a little disappointed that sports held no interest for him. His football room had been transformed into a music room by the time he was four. I was incredibly proud of him, but it had smarted a bit at first. I'd gotten over it, though. Each of my kids was an individual, and I loved them for it.

"Well, then. What would you like to discuss? Beethoven's Fifth? Some Bach, perhaps?"

He snorted out a laugh. "You don't know anything about Beethoven or Bach."

I grinned at him. "Not true. I know that both of them are good for getting me to sleep." I tapped his shoulder. "Unless you're playing them."

"Nice save, Dad."

"I'm good like that, Ethan."

I sat back, watching as he continued to pet Rainbow. She had an uncanny sense for whoever needed her the most. Normally she'd be planted on me, but she could tell Ethan was off and went to him instead. Best animal ever.

"Look. I'm not going to get all technical and clinical and crap. I just wanted to make sure you weren't embarrassed about what happened. It's normal. If you have any doctor-type questions, we can call Grandpa."

He winced. "I don't have any questions, Dad. It's not like it was the first-" He broke off and shook his head. "It just sucks that Mom knows."

Poor kid. That would suck. I'd been spared the obligatory parental walk-in, probably thanks to Emmett being older. I was sure he'd traumatized one or both my parents a time or ten.

"I know it sucks, but your mom doesn't judge you for it." See, Reed Girl, got that in right at the start. "She knows that you have needs. We all do. Even her."

"Ew! Gross, Dad! I don't want to think about Mom that way! God!"

Okay. I got that. My bad. Though the thought of Reed Girl touching herself was extremely hot. I was going to try to convince her to put on a show for me tonight after the kids went to bed.

"I'm just saying. It's a normal, natural thing. You're nearly a teenager, and the hormones are shooting around, and your body is doing things. I get it. So does she. And neither of us want you to feel bad about it. It's totally normal."

"It is?" he asked softly.

Fuck. I had to tone it down. I didn't want to fuck him up. Where was Jasper? I should call him to handle this.

"It is. You're changing inside, and you're starting to notice girls." I reached out and tilted his head up so I could meet his eyes. "You are, right?"

He gulped and nodded. "Dani's friend Lisa was over earlier."

Ah, Lisa. The cheerleader. Maybe the kid was a chip off the old block after all. I almost asked if she was wearing her uniform but thought better of it. That might make me sound like a pervert or a dirty old man, and I was neither. I just remembered the effect those uniforms used to have on me back in the day.

"So, older girls, huh? Gotta say, I'm pretty proud of that."

He shrugged. "She's really pretty. And she was wearing her uniform and…" He sighed. "Dad, is it normal that I had to run into my room right after I saw her?"

Oh boy. "Yeah, son, it is. Look, I'll tell you a not-so-secret secret."

He met my eyes. "What?"

"Men are visual creatures. It doesn't take much to excite us, especially when we're younger. A pretty girl in a short skirt will do it easily enough."

"So, I'm not a freak or something?"

"Of course not. I can't tell you the number of times I jerked off to cheerleaders when I was your age. And as you know, I was around cheerleaders a lot."

He laughed. "I guess you were. Still are, for that matter. Some of the Giant's ones are really, really h-pretty."

I chuckled. "You can say hot, son. I get it. And I'll take your word for it. I haven't noticed."

He studied me for a minute, and I met his look head-on. "You really haven't?"

"No. I only have eyes for your mother. One day, you'll settle on the right girl, cheerleader or no, and all the rest will do nothing for you."

"So, then, I won't be constantly…" He gestured at his lap.

I laughed. "Oh no. You will, but just for one girl. And if you're lucky, she'll help you out, so you won't get carpal tunnel. That would be bad for a musician."

"So you still get…"

"Hard? Of course I do." All the fucking time, thank you very much. "I'm thirty-five, not eighty-five." Though I better still get hard at that age, too. If not, just shoot me and end my misery.

"But not just from one look or whatever? You learn how to control it?"

Ah, I got it. "Yes and no. There can be times when one look at your mom-"

"Dad!" He threw up his hands, which made Rainbow growl and head back my way.

I picked her up, and she curled into my chest.

"Well, I just told you that she's the only one that does it for me. What I'm trying to say is, you'll still be visually stimulated, but you'll get to the point where you're more in control of it. You won't have to beat off right away. You'll learn how to calm yourself down without touching, if you don't want to."

"So, I should think of things that aren't exciting, so that I won't be?"

I smiled. "Exactly. I just visualize my linemen…or Roseanne Barr."

"Who?" he asked, making me laugh.

"Never mind. You'll figure it out, but until you do, I just want you to know that you have nothing to be ashamed of. Every guy around your age starts to get those feelings. And they don't go away, thank God. They just get more manageable."

"Okay." He was silent for a few moments. "Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"When did you first get a girl to…help?"

He was definitely my boy. I couldn't be prouder. "It took me a few more years, bud. But once I did, there was no looking back."

"How did you get her to?"

Well, hell. I wasn't sure how to answer that, considering my first hand job came from an older woman. I didn't want that shit for him.

"It takes time to get that to point, Ethan. You have to talk to her, get to know her, what she likes, what she doesn't, kiss her when she gives you the go-ahead. Once all that goes well, then you can work on touching and exploring and stuff. Hell, you're a musical genius. Write her a song. If your mother's songs can turn me mushy, imagine what they can do for a girl your age." They'd be putty in the kids' hands.

"So, Lisa…"

"Probably not, at least not for a few years." I had to nip that in the bud. Because if Lisa was old enough to touch, then Dani would be, and since she would never be old enough, that didn't bear discussing. "And going after your older sister's friends, while ambitious, is probably not a good idea. She'd kick your butt, and your mother might help her."

He laughed. "Probably. But she's really pretty."

"There will be lots of pretty girls in your path, Eth. One day you'll get lucky and one will like you back. In the meantime, you have your hand."

He snorted out another laugh. "Dad! I have a feeling Mom didn't want our talk to go like this when she sent you up to speak to me."

I grinned at him. "Probably not, but then again, your mom knows me better than anybody else. She knows I'm pretty brutally honest. I tell it like it is. And I'm telling you that your mother loves you. She wants everything to be the same with you as it was this morning. Do you think you can give her that?"

"I'll try. I hate knowing that she knows what I was doing."

"Well, I can make you even and tell you that just last night she was-" I stopped at the look of horror on his face. "Just kidding, kid."

"So gross."

"That's the Cullen in me. Yours will activate one day, and watch out." I stood and ruffled his hair. "Come on. Dinner should be ready soon. Go in and give your mom a hug."

"Okay. I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Good." Rainbow and I headed to the door. I paused before opening it. "Oh, and Ethan?"

"Yeah, Dad?"

"Don't forget to wash your hands."

He laughed and tossed a balled-up sock at me, hopefully not the sock he was using to-no, it didn't bear thinking about. He was still laughing as I headed down the hallway. All in all, I thought I did pretty well. Right?


	61. Chapter 61

**A/N Happy Super Bowl Sunday! It's both an awesome day, because the game is finally here and all the fantastic food awaits, but an awful day, because football goes away and won't be back for a long time. Boo. But I'll let that bring me down another day. For today, let's party!**

**So, who do you have? I won't lie. I'm totally rooting for Peyton to get one last ring and ride into the sunset (or into the analyst's studio) with a win. Do I think that's actually going to happen? Sadly, no. I'm betting Carolina wins, and I'm afraid it's not going to be a close game at all, but I definitely want to be wrong. Denver D needs to play like they did last week, for sure, for it to be a game. Fingers crossed, because I hate a Super Bowl blowout.**

**I'm getting ready to go get my game day sub. Tradition! Do you have any special dishes you consume for the big game? Anything I should make if I ever have a SB party? Advise me.**

**On a personal note, I lost my job of nearly 18 years last week. I'm still trying to get over the shock of it and figure out where to go from here, but I'll find something. I tell you this because while I do have more stories to tell, I'm not going to be doing much writing until I get a job and have security again. I'll post my contest entry when I'm able, but that'll be it for a bit. If you know of anything for a decent writer with a journalism degree, let me know! I'll take any leads I can get. I'm still going to be around, even if I'm a bit quiet for a while. So don't worry if I don't post for bit!**

**This is the final chapter of GB, at least the final one I have planned. It's been in my head for a very long time and I'm excited to get here. I hope you love it as much as I do! Thank you all, again, for sticking with me and these characters. Your love for them always warms my heart. A quick A/N will follow below. Love you all!**

GB Final Outtake

It was officially the worst day of my life. I'd been dreading this day for eighteen years, and it wasn't any better than I'd feared or imagined all this time. It was actually worse. I couldn't do it.

I turned to inform Reed Girl that I couldn't, but one look at her bittersweet smile, combined with her sad eyes, had me biting back my comment.

"So, I think you have everything you could possibly need, right?" Reed Girl asked, looking around the crappy room that, I'm sorry, did not fucking have everything she needed.

It didn't have us, for one thing, and she needed us most of all. Also, the bed was fucking tiny and lumpy, the furniture was crap, the security was subpar, and the people I'd seen lurking in the hallways weren't to be trusted. Nope. I couldn't do it.

"I think that-"

"Don't even start, Dad." Dani wagged her finger at me. "You promised."

"I just think it would be better if you took a look at the apartment I found." It was brand new, had security, off campus and far away from the frats and shit. It was perfection.

"Dad, freshmen have to live in dorms; you know that."

I knew no such thing. Dani was a fucking legacy at this school. If she wanted to live in an apartment across town, she should damn well be able to. Why the fuck were we even here if we couldn't use our name to our advantage?

"Surely I can talk to the Dean and-"

"Edward," Reed Girl said, slipping her arms around my waist. "You did promise. You promised _both_ of us." And she arched her eyebrow at me, daring me to go back on my word to her. We both fucking knew I couldn't.

Dani flitted off to put some of her crap in the ridiculous bathroom she shared with like seven other girls. Unacceptable. How did anyone live like this?

"Was it always this crappy?" I demanded. It'd been twenty years since we'd gone to school here. You'd think they could have put some money into new dorms. I mean, what did I cut alumni checks for if not to insure my daughter's comfort?

"This is the newest dorm they have, Champ." Reed Girl shook her head. "She's not exactly slumming it at Salley Hall like I did. We paid for the best they had."

No, the best they had was off campus at the building with the doorman. Or, even better, living with Emmett and Blondie or my parents in their house. Or the house that I was trying to convince Reed Girl to let me buy. She had way better options than this shithole.

"If this is the best they have, then we need to cut them bigger checks and demand they go into dorm design and maintenance," I muttered, making her laugh.

"This is how freshmen live, Edward."

"It's not how I lived," I pointed out. Was it so wrong to want my daughter to have what I did?

"And your daughter isn't going to be living at the football dorms, which I would think you'd find more disturbing than her suite here."

Suite, my ass. Though the thought of my Dani in the football dorm was enough to shut me up, for now. Fuck, that gave me more shit to worry about. I whipped off my phone and fired off a text to Emmett.

_You make damn sure that my daughter never steps foot in the football dorms. Tell your perverted team that she's off limits, and spread the word that if they see a guy talking to her, they're welcome to beat his ass._

Reed Girl sighed when she read my text, yanking my phone out of my hand and gesturing to me to grab our daughter as she toddled by. "Here, baby the daughter who's actually still a baby, why don't you?"

I cuddled Alex into my arms. She was just as gorgeous as her sister was, with the same green eyes but darker hair. She'd likely have Reed Girl's pretty hair when she got older.

"You're never going to grow up and leave Daddy, are you, angel?"

"Daddy," she whispered, resting her head against my shoulder. Poor kid was tired. She'd had a big couple of days, flying down with us and getting her sister all moved into the dorms. She pretty much had no idea what was going on, but we'd had to bring her along. I wasn't trusting Ethan with her, even if he was a good big brother at sixteen.

"That's right, Angel. You stay with Daddy. Always."

I watched as Dani laughed with one of her new suitemates. They were already fast friends, excited as hell to start their college adventure away from their parents, who did nothing but love and protect them. This sucked, hard.

Reed Girl straightened the garnet comforter they'd selected. I swear the fucking bed was smaller than Alex's crib, but I was kinda glad about that. No way was some random guy going to fit into bed with her. They'd have to go to his- Fuck. That was another thought I didn't need to have.

Reed Girl handed me back my phone. I pulled up the message she'd sent, ordering Emmett to ignore the overprotective ass of a father. Rude. He got it, though. The twins were sixteen and catching the eye of every male in their high school and beyond. Em was totally losing his hair. It was fantastic.

"She's all set," Reed Girl said, reaching up to stroke Alex's soft hair. She was sleeping on my shoulder, fitting perfectly just like Dani once had. Why the fuck did my kids have to grow up?

"There's still time to move her into NYU." It was so much closer. I could get to her quickly in case of emergency.

My wife smiled and moved her hand up to my cheek. "I know it's killing you. It's the hardest thing we have to do as parents, to let them go. She's here because she wants to be like you, Champ. She wants to be the next great Cullen athlete at FSU. You know you want this for her."

Well, of course I did. My girl got an athletic scholarship to our alma mater. We hadn't taken it, electing to have another kid that needed it more use it, but she'd earned that shit. It was awesome. And it was an honor that she wanted to be at the same school and have the Cullen name mean something here again. It was just so fucking far away.

"Maybe I should retire this year."

Reed Girl laughed. "That's another thing you aren't ready for, Champ. We agreed that you were going to see how you felt after this season. And even if you did retire right now, are you saying we'd uproot the boys to move down here?"

Yes. No. Damn it. They had lives and friends they wouldn't want to give up either. Teams and teachers, girls, games and concerts; life was busy and good. I couldn't ask them to move just so I could hold on to Dani for a little longer. I knew that. It just sucked.

"Fine. But I don't see why we can't buy that house, just for when we visit and shit. I don't want to stay with Emmett or my parents."

She laughed. "We'll talk about it. Later. For now, say good-bye to your daughter. We need to let her get to it."

No. No way, no how. "I thought we'd take a walk down to the student union, buy her some things, and maybe get her some lunch first."

"You thought you'd stroll the campus with her, showing everyone who her dad is and warning them away with your eyes."

Damn the woman for knowing me so well. "I don't see why people shouldn't know who her dad is. She's got our last name, after all."

"And it'll be up to her to tell them that her dad is _the_ Edward Cullen, if she wants to. She gets to make a name for herself here, Edward. Without you."

Fuck. "Damn it, Bella."

"I know." She stepped into me, resting her head on the shoulder Alex wasn't using. "She'll always have us. And your brother and parents are less than fifteen minutes away. She's got support here, Champ."

Yes, my parents had randomly decided to return to Florida several months early, rather than stay up north for what may be my final football season. I was honestly thrilled about it. I'd have to buy them a good present, because I knew they wanted to be nearby for Dani.

"We're going to take off, honey," Reed Girl called.

Dani stopped chatting with her friend, finally remembering that her parents were here and that we'd be leaving and not seeing her for months on end. Okay, I planned on stopping down when we played Atlanta next month. And on my bye week. And she'd come up for Thanksgiving and Christmas. But still. Weeks away from her were too long.

Our daughter came over to us, pushing her long hair back from her stunning face. Fuck. I really wanted to take that walk with her and stake my claim because the guys were going to be all over her the minute we left.

"Thanks for everything, Mom." She wrapped her arms around Reed Girl. The two of them together always made me smile. Dani was so much taller than her mother, but they looked a lot alike, more like sisters than mother and daughter.

"You call me at least once a week," Reed Girl ordered, wiping away some tears as she pulled back. At least I wasn't the only one who fucking felt like crying.

Dani laughed. "More than that, Mom. You know I will."

"I hope so," she murmured.

Dani leaned over and kissed her sleeping sister's cheek. "You be a good girl, Alex. Keep Dad in line."

Reed Girl laughed as she dug a Kleenex out of her purse. "Lord knows I need all the help I can get with that."

"Hey! I'm not so bad."

"If you could, you'd wrap both of us up in bubble wrap and lock us in that tower Mom wouldn't let you build," Dani reminded me, wrapping her arms around my waist and leaning against me just like Reed Girl had.

I pulled her to me with my free arm and held on to her as tightly as I dared. "I just want you both with me, safe and sound."

"I will be, Daddy. I'll call so much that you won't even realize I'm not there."

Right. I let out a half-laugh, half-sob kind of sound. "I'll notice, kid."

"I know. I'll miss you. But I'm going to make you proud of me."

Fuck. I took a deep breath and held her close. "I am so proud of you, baby. I couldn't be prouder. You're going to kick volleyball ass and make everybody forget about that other Cullen who used to play a sport here."

She laughed, smiling up at me through teary eyes. "I think your name and jersey hanging in the stadium will ensure that isn't the case, but I'll make sure they don't forget either one of us."

"That's my girl."

She burrowed into me even closer. "Always, Daddy."

I kissed the top of her head, and she brushed my cheek with her lips.

"Thanks for everything, Daddy. I'm ready."

"I know you are. I'm not, but you are. Kick some ass here, kid."

"I will."

She hugged her mom and me again. Reed Girl took my hand and tugged me gently toward the doorway.

"Call if you need anything. You have the credit card in case of emergencies, which doesn't constitute not having any beer in that mini-fridge."

Dani laughed at my ass. "I know, Dad. I won't buy any beer." She smiled at her mom. "Besides, guys will do that for me."

Reed Girl hugged her again. "That's right, baby. You make the boys buy the alcohol."

"And drink none of it!" I ordered.

"Sure, Dad. Just like you didn't."

Damn it all to hell. "I didn't drink during the season." Much.

I was leveled with the same disbelieving stare from both of my girls. "What? Conditioning is important."

"I'm conditioned, Daddy."

I didn't want to think about that. "Just be good."

"I will be. I love you. Tell Ethan and AJ I'll call them soon."

I got one more hug and kiss, and then Reed Girl dragged me out the door. Somehow I managed to hold my shit together until we got Alex settled in her car seat. I took one look at my wife's sad face, and I just collapsed into her, holding her while she cried, and yeah, I let out a tear or two of my own. Leaving my daughter, even if it was to start her life, was just too much for me.

"She'll do great," Reed Girl said eventually. "We've raised a smart, strong, self-sufficient girl. She's going to have fun and be incredible on that court."

"I know. I just wish she didn't have to be so far away."

"It's only a few hours by plane. We'll see her a lot."

"Not enough." Never enough for me.

"I know." Reed Girl released me and dried her eyes. "Come on, Champ. We've got a plane to catch and boys to get back to. Our house is far from empty, thankfully."

I was grateful for that. I didn't know what I'd do in sixteen years when Alex was ready to start college. It didn't bear thinking about. We still had a full house, just a little less full than I liked it.

"Let's go home."

Home. Yes, we had to go home, even if a big part of it was missing. My Dani was going to do great here, but I wasn't going to be great without her. I missed her already. Kids growing up sucked.

I started the car, glancing at my youngest daughter sleeping her car seat. "Never grow up, angel."

I pulled out of the parking lot, my eyes on Alex and the building where Dani remained.

"Maybe we should have another baby."

That got me a smack on the arm. "Don't you go getting empty-nest syndrome already, Cullen. We can't replace Dani with another kid."

"I'm not trying to do that, exactly. I just-"

"I know," she said, twining her fingers in mine. "But even if we had another, that one would grow up and leave us, too. We can't hold on to them forever."

But I wanted to. "It sucks."

"It does. But you have me, Champ. You're stuck with me for good."

I raised her hand to my lips and kissed it. "I'm grateful for that every day."

"This place brought us together. It'll bring great things for our daughter as well."

I hoped so. Dani deserved what we had. Maybe when she was a senior she could meet her Reed Girl. Or in grad school. Yeah, that was better. She had plenty of time.

Xoxoxoxoxo

DPOV

"Do you need any help with that?"

I rolled my eyes as I was interrupted for the twentieth time since I'd gotten to the gym an hour ago. It was ridiculous. I'd always heard that Strozier Library was the place to meet members of the opposite sex, but clearly that wasn't the only one. On a normal day, I'd probably be pretty excited over the attention, but not when I was here sweating and trying to get into shape. I was so sick of it.

"Do I look like I need help?" I asked, raising my eyebrow in an imitation of my mom's best bitch-brow.

"You look like you could use a hand. I have two, just waiting for you." He held them up, as if the sight of them would make me want to attack him in the middle of the gym.

I laughed. "Does that line really work for you?" I had to admit, he was kind of cute in a typical frat-boy way. Blond hair, blue eyes, obligatory backwards hat, basketball shorts, muscle T. If he'd waited to hit on me after I'd finished my reps, I might have given him a shot.

"Most of the time." He shot me a blinding white smile. "I'm Jim."

"And I'm working out. Try your line on that girl over there. She looks like she could use some help." The girl was struggling to figure out how to change the weight for some leg lifts. And from the looks of her outfit, she wasn't here to work out, unless we were talking naked. Who in the hell could exercise with shorts riding up their butt and their boobs hanging out of their sports bra?

"Your loss, baby. But thanks for the tip." And he was off, to go chat up Ms. Inappropriate Attire.

And now I was glad that I hadn't bothered to give him my name. I wasn't going to be some girl he forgot the next day. Dad had given me a lot of advice over the years, and I thought that was the best he'd ever told me. I'd waited to give myself to David, my boyfriend for most of senior year. I'd loved him. Maybe not the forever love that Mom and Dad had, but I'd loved him and it had been worth the wait. I might not have to be in love with the next guy that I slept with, but I'd have to be more than the next willing body in the gym. No thank you.

I finished my workout with about five more interruptions, and I'd had it by the time I was done. I needed to keep in shape for volleyball, and being disturbed every few minutes from horny frat boys wasn't going to cut it.

_Uncle Emmett, would it be possible for me to use the football gym? I can go in really early so I don't mess with the players' time._

I took my shower, and my phone had a message waiting when I was done.

_What's wrong with the student gym?_

Nothing was wrong with it, if I was looking to gain an STD instead of some core muscle.

_I get hit on every few minutes, which makes working out a little difficult. Please, Uncle Em? I'll be out before the guys get there._

I got my gym bag and headed back to the dorm. My roommate, Bree, was going to meet me back there for dinner after she got done with class.

_Hahaha Your father is having a fit right now. He's going to have an aneurysm, I swear._

I shook my head. Of course Uncle Emmett told him. My phone started ringing immediately.

"Hi, Daddy."

"What's this about you getting hit on at the gym? I'm going to call whoever's in charge and ask their policy on sexual harassment."

My father was as reliable as the sun. I switched him to speaker when I got into my room.

"Nobody was harassing me, Dad. There's a difference between being hit on and being harassed. If I was harassed, I'd kick their ass myself."

He let out a long breath. "I think I should hire a bodyguard for you."

And that was also predictable. I'd only been here for two weeks, and Dad had already tried to hire me a bodyguard slash book-carrier three times.

"I don't need a bodyguard, Dad. I just need a place to work out in peace. That's why I asked Uncle Em if I could use the football facility. I'll go in early, so I can exercise alone."

_Thanks a lot, Uncle Em. Dad's trying to hire me a bodyguard because a guy talked to me. Can I use your gym or not?_

"Alone? I don't think so. Emmett can meet you there in the morning, make sure you're safe."

I'd expected nothing less. And Uncle Em went to work early anyway, to study game tape. It should be fine.

_I'm in my office by five. Stop by, and I'll let you in._

"He just said he'd be there and let me in himself. You have nothing to worry about, Daddy." Yes, I threw in the daddy because I knew it made him do my bidding. I'd learned quite a bit over the years.

"Like hell I don't. So, what have you been up to? How are classes?"

I laughed and settled down on my bed, telling him about my classes and the friends I'd made. I'd gone to two parties, and they'd been fun, but getting hammered wasn't really my thing. Still, I had to have some fun with my worrywart dad.

"I have to go get ready for this frat party we're going to tonight. I'll call you in a few days." I waited for it.

"Frat party? On a Tuesday night? Shouldn't you be studying? You have to be up early to work out, right?"

His voice was getting progressively higher. It cracked me up.

"Oh, I probably won't go to bed, Dad. I'll stop drinking by two, sober up, hit the gym, and then come home and sleep. Class isn't that important."

There was a long pause before he laughed. "You had me going until you told me you'd skip class. I was a student athlete myself, baby. I know that missing class equals missing games, which neither of us can stand."

That was true. I was a lot like him when it came to my work ethic. I wanted to be the best. If I had to miss a few parties so I could be sharp for practice, then so be it. I'd party after the season was done.

"You got me, Dad. I'm going to dinner with Bree, then coming back to finish off a paper and get to bed. I have to meet Uncle Em bright and early."

"That's more like it, baby girl." He sighed. "I have to go back to practice. You be good."

"I will, Daddy. I love you."

"I love you, too. I miss you."

I felt my eyes sting with tears. I loved college; I really did. But I missed my family. "Miss you, too."

"You'd better. I'll be down in a couple of weeks."

I laughed. "I can't wait." It was true. I couldn't wait to see him.

"Me either. Talk to you soon, kid."

"Bye, Dad."

Xoxoxoxoxo

This was more like it. The equipment was even more top-of-the-line than what was in the student gym. Not that that was a surprising thing. The football team got everything. But now, so did I, thanks to Uncle Emmett.

I made my way through my squats before moving over to do some pull-ups. I went back to legs, doing dumbbell lunges, and then back to arms, doing my bench press. I did some delt work and then grabbed a jump rope. I always finished my workouts this way, jumping rope for at least ten minutes. Then I'd jump stairs when I got back to the dorm, working on my vertical and my balance.

I was about five minutes into my jumping, music blasting through my earbuds, when I sensed something behind me. I turned, jumping rope the whole time, and tripped when my eyes landed on the person in the gym with me. Holy shit.

Tanner Hunt, starting quarterback for the Florida State Seminoles. He was a junior, and he had us undefeated three games into the season. He had quite an arm. Dad thought he might just win a Heisman, and Dad should know.

He was also hot. Like, epically, uber hot.

He was leaning against the wall, his light-brown hair falling down over his bright-blue eyes. He wore a black muscle shirt and red FSU shorts, and his tan, fit body was just gorgeous. I'd admired him more than once when Dad had the games on. He was even better in person.

He was saying something, but of course I couldn't hear him. I turned off my music and took the buds out of my ears.

"I'm sorry, what?"

He smirked. "I said, this is a first."

Well, yeah. He probably didn't find a lot of females in this gym. "Uh yes, well I needed-"

"I have to say, quite a few girls have gone out of their way to meet me, but you went all out, didn't you?"

What? He thought I was here because I wanted him? "You think I'm here because of you?"

His smirk got even more pronounced. Had I found him attractive a minute ago? Clearly my eyesight was off.

"Why else would you be here?" He folded his…yes, damn it, still sexy arms. "I have to admit, you got my attention." His eyes moved over my body, and I felt a little pull low in my belly.

Damn it, what was wrong with me? Yes, he was hot, but he was also an egotistical jerk. I was not going to let him effect me.

"Lucky me. Too bad I wasn't looking for it."

He smiled, pushing off the wall and walking over to me. "Come on, baby. You can admit it. I won't tell that you broke in here to get to me. Like I said, I'm flattered."

Sure he was. He totally thought I was some desperate football groupie who stalked the gym for him. As if I had to lower myself to chasing after some jock. Still, I could play with him a little. Not the way he wanted me to. Not the way a small part of me wanted to. He wasn't worthy.

"Are you?" I asked softly, reaching out to run my fingers along his forearm. The muscles bunched a little under my touch, and I felt that pull and sort of forgot what I was doing, until I saw the triumphant look on his face.

"Sure. I'd even be willing to help you sneak out without getting caught, so long as you let me take you somewhere private, where we can get to know one another a little better."

I bit back a chuckle. We both knew that if he got me alone, the last thing he'd want to do was learn about me, unless it was what I looked like naked.

"That sounds awfully tempting, but I have one question."

"Shoot, baby." He moved his fingers over my hand on his arm. I tingled a bit at his touch, but I was ignoring that for now.

"Who are you? I mean, am I supposed to know? Because I came here to work out."

His face fell comically, and he took a step back, watching me intently. "You know who I am."

"No. I really don't." I kept my face perfectly straight. The gall of this guy, thinking that every girl on campus knew who he was and wanted him. I mean, I did, but I sure as hell wasn't telling him that.

"I'm Tanner. Tanner Hunt."

I bit my lip and gave him a little shrug.

"The quarterback."

"Oh. You play football?" I made myself sound like an airhead, even twirling my hair around my finger. "That's cool, I guess."

His gorgeous eyes narrowed at me. "You guess? Sweetheart, don't pretend that you aren't impressed. I'm the best quarterback this school has ever seen."

Like hell he was. I snorted at that. "I'm quite certain that isn't true."

"Well, it is. None of the others are fit to hold my jock."

Now I was fuming. "Ward, Weinke, Winston, and Cullen all won Heismans for this school. Cullen won two. Have you won any?"

"If you know who they are, how do you not know who I am?" he demanded.

Whoops. I'd let my temper get the best of me. "I make it a point to know who the real winners are. I'll learn your name when and if you join them, though I doubt you can." He couldn't come close to being as good as my dad was.

"As if you know anything about football."

I wanted to laugh at that. I'd been raised on football. I probably knew how to break down tape better than he did.

"I know enough to know you stared down your receiver, which is why you threw that pick six in the second quarter last week."

His glare could have melted an iceberg. "Who are you?"

I shrugged. "Nobody important."

He laughed. "That's right. Remember that. I'm the important one on this campus. You're nobody."

Ugh! He was infuriating. "I'll have you know that I'm-"

"Hunt! What in the hell are you doing here so early? Get away from my niece."

We both turned, and somehow we'd been standing so close that my hair brushed against his shoulder. I hadn't realized we were standing so near one another.

"Your niece?" he asked, cutting his eyes back to mine.

"Yes, my niece. The newest, most kickass member of the volleyball team. And I'll have to kick your ass if you don't step away from her. My brother tasked me with making sure that none of you asshats put a hand on her, since he's in Jersey playing football and can't be here, and I'm going to keep my promise. From now on, you don't step foot in this place until after seven. Got it?"

"Your dad is Edward Cullen?" he asked, his jaw dropping open as he realized who he'd been talking to.

"Yes. And you can only hope to be a tenth as good a player as he is someday."

I picked up my iPod and grabbed my gym bag.

"Thanks, Uncle Em. I appreciated the quiet."

He glanced between Tanner and me. "He didn't upset you, did he?"

I laughed. "Oh, no. He came in just as I was finishing up. I barely even noticed him." I glanced Tanner's way with a smirk of my own. "He's nobody important."

Uncle Emmett looked between us before shrugging. "Okay. I'm going back to my office. Are you heading home?"

"Yeah. I'll be out in a second. Thanks for hooking me up with the gym, Uncle Em."

"Anything you need, Monkey." He ruffled my hair and then glanced at Tanner. "Get to work, Hunt."

"Sure, Coach."

Uncle Emmett left, and I started to follow behind him but stopped when I felt a hand on my arm. I tried to ignore the tingles I still felt at his touch. He was an asshole. I was _not_ attracted to him, no matter how good-looking he was.

"Edward Cullen is your dad," he said again.

"Yes." I smiled at him. "So your supposed football prowess doesn't impress me. My dad's the best."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't mean to insult him or whatever. I was just-"

I raised a brow. "I know what you were doing. Don't sweat it. I have to get going." I had a class in an hour.

"What's your name?" he asked as I walked away.

I shot a grin over my shoulder. "If it's _important_ enough for you to know it, you'll figure it out."

He winced a bit at my use of the word important, just like I'd hoped he would. "I will."

"Then I'll see you later, maybe."

And I left without another word. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked away, and it gave me a little thrill. As soon as I got out of the gym, I hit speed dial on my phone.

"Hello."

"Mom. I have to tell you about this jerk I just met. He's got an ego the size of Texas, I swear!"

Her warm laugh filled the line. "Sounds familiar. Tell me about him."

So I did. Her laughs and exclamations made me grin as I told her about his ego, his hotness, and everything.

"I couldn't decide if I wanted to hit him or if I wanted to kiss him."

She laughed again. "I've been there, honey. He sounds just like your father twenty years ago."

No way. "Daddy couldn't have been that much of a jerk."

"Oh yes, he could. You've heard part of the story, but now you're old enough to hear the non-edited version. Let me tell you about when we met…"

**A/N You know how I love my symmetry! Seems that Dani has found her own Cockyback! Will she tame him just like her mother did all those years ago? Probably, but who knows? Their story continues, as it always does, even if I don't write it all out. I'm sure her mother and father can guide her if she decides to go gunning for Tanner.**

**Thanks to Jenrar for her awesome beta skills, and Mary for pre-reading and cheering me on! Thanks again, to all of you, who read, review, rec, and all that good stuff. I'll be back! Can't say when, but I will :) Until then, take care, be happy, and keep reading!**


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